The Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) has voiced strong opposition to the Bulawayo City Council’s (BCC) plan to establish a private water and sanitation utility in partnership with a Dutch company.
According to reports, BCC intends to create a stand-alone water utility department to enhance the efficiency of managing the city’s water and sanitation services. This initiative will be undertaken in collaboration with the Netherlands-based organization Vitens Evides International (VEI).
In a statement, BPRA expressed concerns that this move could lead to the privatization of water services, potentially resulting in higher costs for residents and infringing on their constitutional right to water.
“Residents and stakeholders of the City of Bulawayo, who are the rightful owners of the city’s resources, strongly oppose the local authority’s decision to establish a private water and sanitation utility in partnership with a Dutch company,” BPRA stated.
“Privatisation of water could lead to increased costs, further infringing on residents’ rights to access this essential resource and compromising the overall quality of service. We are also concerned about a potential decline in water quality, reduced maintenance, and decreased investment in infrastructure due to this privatization.”
BPRA also criticised the process for lacking transparency, particularly regarding the selection criteria for the Dutch company, which has raised concerns among residents and stakeholders.
“It will be challenging for residents to hold the private company accountable for fund usage, actions, or the state of these services. Decisions about our city’s essential resources should be made by those who understand the unique needs of our community, not by distant corporate entities focused on profit. This could negatively impact residents’ ability to hold the service provider accountable due to complex contractual arrangements and regulatory frameworks,” BPRA added.
“The main issue with Bulawayo’s water supply is the availability of bulk water. How does establishing such an entity address this problem? Are we going to face prolonged water scarcity challenges?”
BPRA also questioned the financial implications of setting up the utility, asking whether the costs will be passed on to residents and stakeholders.
“These questions need to be addressed and clarified for residents and stakeholders.”
BPRA reiterated its willingness to take action to prevent the initiative from proceeding, arguing that it was initiated without adequate consultation with Bulawayo’s citizens.
“This approach is elitist and does not tackle the primary challenges we face regarding water supply. Such a significant change in the management of our city’s water and sanitation services should have undergone thorough public debate and scrutiny.”
