By Ndumiso Tshuma
The Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, has urged the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to ensure open communication and transparency with residents over the proposed introduction of a new water utility, amid rising public concern over worsening water shortages.
Speaking during a consultative meeting on Tuesday, Minister Ncube said any new water utility must be affordable and user-friendly, stressing the importance of public understanding and engagement.
“The water utility should be affordable and accessible to the people, if it is to be implemented,” she said. “We must also consider the resources we have. Our infrastructure is worn out in some areas, water does not reach residents not because there is no water, but because of failing infrastructure. This must be addressed.”
She called for clear and accessible communication between the council and the public to explain the proposed changes, what they entail, and the current limitations facing the city.
Her comments come amid growing scepticism from residents, who say the city has experienced worsening water supplies since the campaign for a new utility began. Several neighbourhoods have gone for weeks without reliable access to water.
Sphatho Ndebele, a resident of Nkulumane South, Ward 20, said the water crisis has intensified in recent weeks.
“We hear about this idea of a new water utility, but all we see are dry taps. It seems like a scheme to get us to accept something that hasn’t been explained properly. We’ve been without water for the past month and a half,” he said.
Makokoba resident Sipho Moyo said the campaign’s rollout has coincided with increased hardship for families.
“Instead of improving services, this idea seems to have made things worse,” he said. “We’re being told about a water utility that hasn’t even been introduced yet, but we still can’t get water. How are we supposed to trust this process?”
Others expressed concern over the lack of transparency from the city council.
Sthulisiswe Mlotshwa from Sunninghill said residents had been left in the dark about what the utility would mean in practice.
“There is a lack of transparency from the council, and it feels like there’s a hidden agenda,” she said. “The council cannot introduce the idea and then cut off water. We have not had water for seven weeks. We need clear communication and immediate solutions.”
The local authority has previously stated that the proposed utility would be entirely owned by the city, with no private individuals or companies involved.
Officials say the new entity would be established as a legal safeguard to improve water management, not to privatise services.