Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has moved to clarify misconceptions surrounding the establishment of the Bulawayo Water and Sanitation Utility, dismissing claims that the initiative is tied to prepaid water meters or privatisation.
The mayor described these allegations as deliberate attempts to mislead residents and incite resistance against the proposed utility.
READ: https://cite.org.zw/bcc-pushes-for-water-utility-to-counter-privatisation/
In a statement released Friday afternoon, Coltart said the Bulawayo Water and Sanitation Utility will remain a public entity, wholly owned by the City of Bulawayo.
โThe City of Bulawayo has noted with concern the false narrative articles and misinformation from individuals and some organisations that the City of Bulawayo is privatising water and sanitation services. The City of Bulawayo wishes to clarify this position,โ he said.
READ: https://cite.org.zw/bcc-residents-at-loggerheads-over-proposed-water-utility/
Coltart explained the proposed utility is designed to improve the efficiency of water and sanitation service delivery while maintaining public ownership.
โThe proposed Bulawayo Water and Sanitation Public Utility will be 100 percent owned by the City of Bulawayo as the sole shareholder. This is a Public Water and Sanitation Utility which will be overseen by an Independent Board with public and local authority involvement,โ he stated.
The utility model is not a form of privatisation but a legal safeguard to provide efficient management, stressed Coltart.
โThe proposed Model will be the Public Utility, where the City of Bulawayo owns the utilityโs assets and delegates management, operations, and maintenance of Water and Sanitation Service Delivery to a 100 percent City of Bulawayo-owned Utility,โ he said.
Coltart also refuted claims linking the utility to prepaid water meters, describing them as baseless and fear-mongering.
โThe allegations that the Water Utility is tied to Prepaid Water Meters is false, and these are attempts designed to scare residents into resistance and to reject the Water Utility,โ he said.
The mayorโs clarification comes amid strong opposition from local residents, who have raised concerns over transparency, community representation, and potential financial mismanagement.
During a feedback meeting held at the City Council Chambers last week, residents accused the council of sidelining their voices in critical discussions about the utility.
READ:https://cite.org.zw/bulawayo-water-utility-plan-sparks-public-outcry/
In response, Coltart assured residents the council is committed to transparency and accountability.
โThe City of Bulawayo is focused on a transparent, sustainable, accountable and beneficial process in water and sanitation management,โ he said.
Coltart also announced plans for ward-based and community stakeholder engagement meetings to address residentsโ concerns and provide accurate information about the utility.
โThe City of Bulawayo would like to advise residents and stakeholders that we will be conducting ward-based and community stakeholder engagement meetings to share the information, discuss, and garner public opinion on the Utility model best suitable for Bulawayo. This will clarify and correct deliberate distortions, misinformation, and falsehoods,โ Coltart said.
The mayor reiterated the primary goal of establishing the utility is to enhance service delivery while keeping water as a public resource.
โThe goal of setting up a Water Utility is to enhance management while keeping water as a public resource, not to transfer ownership to private companies. There are no private individuals or private companies invested in it,โ he said.
Coltart added the utility will not be profit-driven but will prioritise efficient and affordable service delivery.
โThe registered entity will not be driven by profit but by the need for efficient and affordable service delivery in water and sanitation,โ he added.
