Dozens of frustrated Magwegwe West home seekers have begun erecting makeshift structures on unserviced residential stands after nearly 10 years of waiting for Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to complete basic infrastructure.
The residents, who bought the stands in January 2016, accuse the local authority of dishonesty and neglect, saying repeated assurances about progress and arbitration processes have yielded nothing while their lives “fall apart”.
When CITE visited the site on Sunday, beneficiaries were braving heavy rains under temporary plastic shelters, vowing to occupy the land until BCC fulfils its commitments.
Many say the prolonged delays have cost them jobs, worsened chronic illnesses, and left some widowed or elderly with little hope of ever building the homes they were promised.
Mr Sibanda, one of the beneficiaries, said the group paid US$3,000 upfront and cleared outstanding balances within the required 18 months, with council promising that the area would be fully serviced by December 2016.
“They told us by December 2016 we would be flushing our toilets, but today it’s 2025 and nothing has been done,” he said.
“In 2023 they asked us for top-ups to finish servicing the stands. We paid, but they only came briefly and disappeared. We have met everyone — the housing director, the mayor, the engineers — but nothing moves. They keep talking about arbitration.”
He said many have now reached breaking point.
“Years are moving. We now have orphans, widows, we have lost jobs. When I bought this stand, I was 10 years younger. We told them we are going to build, but they didn’t take us seriously. So we are here now. The rains found us here.”
With no water or sanitation, Sibanda said residents plan to use abandoned trenches as toilets and rely on makeshift sources of water.
“We are going to stay here until they take action,” he said.
Another beneficiary, Pretty Nkomo, said residents feel ignored after spending nearly a decade seeking answers.
“We had hope. We trusted City Council. We paid everything they asked for, including top-ups, but this is now the 10th year,” she said.
“When we go to their offices, they don’t want to see us anymore. They ate our money, what should we do?”
Nkomo, who suffers from arthritis, said some beneficiaries are now too old or unwell to build the homes they had planned.
“We are not going anywhere. This is our place. Enough is enough.”
Several residents also accused BCC of fast-tracking stands for “vocal individuals and council staff” while ordinary beneficiaries remain in limbo. Others questioned why neighbouring residents have been allowed to farm on land they paid for.
Another woman, now 70, said she bought her stand at 60 and fears she may never live to see it developed.
City Council has let us down. Everything they tell us is a lie,” she said.
“When we paid the top-ups, they promised everything would be done in two months. Now it’s arbitration again. How many years will I live in a house I have waited for since 2016?”
A confidential BCC report dated May 2024, seen by CITE, shows the local authority had collected US$150,085.19, only 48% of the required top-up amount by 15 May of that year. The council had resolved that at least 66% of funds were needed to trigger immediate servicing works.
The report stated that bush-clearing had begun at Magwegwe West and Woodville, with trenching for water and sewer lines expected to follow. “Commission of works is also expected to create confidence amongst the beneficiaries,” the report said.
Tensions escalated recently when residents staged a demonstration at BCC offices during a presidential visit to the city. Some were detained by police after the local authority reportedly accused them of being political activists.
Bulawayo Central MP Surrender Kapoikulu said he had received the residents’ petition and would table it in Parliament.
“Don’t lose hope. Many residents have come to my office. We are equally concerned,” he said.
BCC is yet to respond to questions sent to its Corporate Communications Department.
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