Bulawayo Mayor Urgently Calls for Hard Currency Funding to Address Dire Water Infrastructure Crisis
The Bulawayo Mayor, David Coltart has appealed for hard currency to address the short-term needs of the city’s water infrastructure, highlighting the need to repair leaks and upgrade the water reticulation system.
He said this during a tour of the Mzingwane and Inyankuni project sites on Friday. This is after the government intervened and availed an amount of 1.2 million equivalent which the Mayor said the local currency cannot buy in other countries for example South Africa.
“We need hard currency because these pumps are not manufactured in Zimbabwe. They are manufactured externally. Many of the components needed to improve our water reticulation system are imported,” he explained.
“So our plea to the government is to release the balance of the 14 million which had been promised by Minister Ncube,” said the Mayor.
He revealed that the money the government availed to the city has been used to refurbish Mzingwane Pump and Inyankuni pump.
Mayor David Coltart painted a grim picture of the city’s water situation warning of an absolute catastrophe if urgent action is not taken.
“The dams are sitting at 32% capacity, and if we have another drought this year, our city will run out of raw water,” Mayor Coltart said, emphasising the gravity of the situation.
He added, “We face an absolute crisis in the city at present. Our dams right across the board are sipping at 32 percent. They should be, even after a bad season, something like 70 percent.”
Mayor Coltart emphasised that the crisis requires a collective effort, saying, “Water is for everyone.We all need to work together. Council, government, technical committee, and the Fourth Estate.”
The mayor expressed gratitude for government intervention, citing the payment of 1.2 million equivalent and a promised 14 million US dollars to address short-term needs.
However, he stressed the need for swift action, saying, “We need those funds yesterday. You cannot do these rehabilitation works overnight.”
The technical committee’s recommendations, supported by BCC Director of Engineering, Sikhumbuzo Ncube, highlighted the importance of addressing the Insiza pipeline’s capacity issues.
The mayor concluded by reiterating the urgency of the situation, saying, “We face an absolute catastrophe in the short term. Measures are not completed. We need to have a sense of urgency.”
In a stark warning, Mayor Coltart said, “If we have another drought this year, you will have new pumps with no water to pump. It illustrates where our priority has to be that is upgrading this in the Mtshabezi pipeline, to get it coming in there, and to the upgrading of the Insiza pipeline.”
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