Emganwini West residents have castigated the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) and Umguza
Rural District (RDC) for failing to resolve their standoff which has seen residents go for more than a decade without tape water.
Residents have wholly blamed the local authorities for dismally failing to prioritise water connection to Emganwini west area.
The residents who spoke to CITE said that they feel neglected and left out.
“We have been severely affected by the water crisis and we are now losing patience with the city fathers on how they are dealing with the crisis,” said one resident Jodo Masuku.
“The situation has forced us to fetch water from unprotected sources since some of us cannot afford to buy water and the one borehole we have is running dry”.
Masuku said that sometimes they buy water from nearby plots which costs $10 per drum.
Zandile Nkomo who lives with her bed-ridden mother said it is difficult for those who take care of sick people to deal with the water crisis.
“If we do not have the money we go to Phekiwe River to fetch water. It is a bit far but it is the only other choice we have,” said Nkomo.
Another resident Benson Dube added that development is being stalled due to lack of water in the area.
The residents said they have since approached Councillor Simbarashe Manaka for assistance.
“However, we are no longer hopeful because last year he (Cllr Manaka) told us that he was going to table the issue at the council meeting but we never got the feedback”.
The residents said they are now pinning their hopes on the government to resolve the water woes in the area to avert looming health hazards.
Meanwhile, the Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Solomon Mguni said that Emganwini is under Umguza Rural District Council hence the local authority has been facing challenges in servicing the area.
“It is an Investment that requires millions of dollars in foreign currency which the city of Bulawayo does not have,” said Mayor Mguni.
Mguni added that Bulawayo still has other suburbs in need of water connection such as Cowdray Park and Pelandaba west.
“Councillors feel that we must connect all our residents before we connect Emganwini”.
However, the mayor revealed that they have since signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Umguza RDC so that they can connect the affected area.
