Pumula residents raise concerns over proposed water utility plan

By Ndumiso Tshuma

Residents of Pumula North in Bulawayo have voiced concerns over the city’s plans to introduce a new water utility, warning that the move is unlikely to resolve the suburb’s long-running water supply challenges.

Speaking during a Bulawayo City Council (BCC) consultation meeting at Pumula North Hall on Wednesday, residents accused the local authority of failing to maintain ageing infrastructure, saying many pipes had not been replaced since the colonial era.

READ: https://cite.org.zw/bcc-pushes-for-water-utility-to-counter-privatisation/

“The city council has failed to supply water to Pumula North for a long time. The pipes have burst because they are too old, and they have not been repaired since Ian Smith’s time,” said resident Thabisani Mahlangu.

Mahlangu questioned whether the new utility would have the resources to fix the existing problems, warning it could instead become a way for the council to extract more money from residents.

Another resident, Sibisisiwe Ndlovani, raised concerns over transparency and possible corruption should the water supply be handed over to a private company.

“If this company is introduced, it will only employ people they know and very few will benefit. Water is life – we should manage our own supply instead of handing it over to a foreign company,” Ndlovani said.

Many residents also cited economic hardships, arguing that most in the area were elderly and surviving on limited incomes.

“Ninety percent of the people here are elderly and not working. If this company takes over and starts billing us, how are we going to afford it?” asked resident Thabani Mpofu.

Responding to the concerns, BCC engineer Mcdonald Funi explained that the suburb’s water challenges were partly due to low pressure, linked to the area’s geographical position.

“Currently, the Pumula water base level is at 1.5 percent. For adequate supply, it should be at least 2 percent. This is one of the challenges we are working to resolve,” Funi said.

Local councillor Sikhululekhile Moyo, who represents Pumula North’s Ward 17, told residents that the council’s efforts were being hampered by delays in government budget approval.

“It has been four months and the government has not approved our budget. We are not imposing these ideas on residents — we want to find a solution that works for everyone,” Moyo said.