Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
Residents in various suburbs of Bulawayo have voiced their frustration regarding the outrageously high water bills they are receiving, some reaching up to US$2,000, despite not having received any city council water for an extended period.
For instance, suburbs like Upper and Lower Neqi, Highmount, Harrisvale, Trenence have not had City Council water for almost one full year.
Many residents are demanding an investigation into what they describe as daylight robbery by the council.
Mr. Adam Dube, a resident of Newton West suburb, expressed his concerns, saying,
“I have had no city council water, not a drop for the whole of 2023 and half of 2024, but I have been billed all that period… The billing is done through estimations for the past two and a half years or so.” He further explained,
“I have been billed about US$120 per month including water that I am not using, as a result my bill is going up badly.”
Council’s Explanation
Mrs. Nesisa Mpofu, the Corporate Communications Manager for the City of Bulawayo, acknowledged the problem, explaining that the city is currently facing a shortage of water meter readers.
“Due to the growth of the city, the available meter readers are not adequate to read all the meters every month,” she said.
She added that non-domestic meters are read every month, while domestic meters are typically read two times in three months.
Mr. Dube, however, argued that the estimates are not reflective of his actual usage.
“I want them to check on their last official bills that they read from this premise and what they have been billing me for and see my consumption patterns,” he emphasized.
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, shared her disbelief about her bill, which totaled US$700, stating,
“I actually have had a borehole for the past seven or so years… if you compare my bills to others, it is absurd.”
Council’s Commitment to Improvement
Mrs. Mpofu reassured residents that the City is working on solutions to improve the accuracy of billing.
“The City is conducting a work-study aimed at increasing the number of meter readers,” she stated.
She also encouraged residents to submit their own meter readings via WhatsApp to ensure accurate consumption data.
Additionally, the city is exploring smart metering solutions for better monitoring of water usage and plans to announce meter reading schedules through various media channels.
Corruption Concerns at City Council
In related news, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has indicated that more arrests may follow in the investigation surrounding Bulawayo’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Edwin Ndlovu, and Finance and Development Committee chairperson, Councillor Mpumelelo Moyo, both of whom were arrested for allegedly demanding a US$20,000 bribe from a cement investor.
Zacc Chairperson Mr. Micheal Reza commented on the situation, saying,
“The Deputy Mayor was taken in on allegations of bribery… This is just a tip of the iceberg as Zacc was ready to make more arrests relating to the case.”
He assured residents that the Commission is committed to fighting corruption in the city.
Council’s Future Plans
Following the recent arrests, it has come to light that the Bulawayo Councilors passed a motion in July to extend the tenure of committee chairpersons and their deputies until 2028. Councillor Ashton Mhlanga introduced the motion, which was supported by a list of 20 councillors.
Mr. Gabriel Masvora, Director of Communication and Advocacy in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, stated,
“It is legal if they have a resolution and it’s done in the interest of enhancing the performance of council.”
Residents are hopeful that these developments will lead to more transparency and accountability within the Bulawayo City Council.
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