Online Reporter
Peter Matika [email protected]
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has appointed a seven-member temporary board to oversee the registration and operationalisation of the proposed Bulawayo Water Utility in a major step towards reforming the city’s water management system.
The move comes as the local authority seeks to improve water service delivery, strengthen governance and ensure the long-term sustainability of Bulawayo’s water infrastructure.
According to a report presented by the Town Clerk during a recent council meeting, councillors approved the appointment of Ms Permanent Ngoma, a representative of the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA), as temporary board chairperson.
Council also approved the appointment of Principal Legal Officer Ms Thandekile Ngwenya as company secretary, replacing Chamber Secretary (Legal and Administration) Mrs Sikhangele Zhou in order to avoid a potential conflict of interest.
The report noted that Mrs Zhou was already serving as company secretary for the shareholder, the City of Bulawayo, making it necessary to separate the two roles.
The temporary board was established to provide governance, oversight and guidance during the initial stages of operationalising the utility.
Council had earlier resolved that five members would be drawn from city management while two would represent residents’ associations.
The board comprises Ms Ngoma (chairperson), Ms Ngwenya (company secretary), Acting Director of Works Mr Methusi Dibidi, Deputy Finance Director Mr Cyprian Dabengwa, Assistant Director of Human Capital Mr Ephraim Ncube, Corporate Communications Manager Mrs Nesisa Mpofu and Bulawayo Residents Association representative Ms Nobukhosi Dube.
The Town Clerk’s report stated that the board’s primary mandate would be to provide governance and oversight while guiding the initial operationalisation of the water utility.
The utility forms part of broader efforts by the city to modernise water management systems and enhance efficiency in the delivery of water services. Council recently intensified activities related to the utility’s establishment, with management officials and members of the transitional technical team attending utility operationalisation briefings and board orientation programmes facilitated by Dutch water sector organisation VEI.
The training sessions were held in Gweru and Antelope Park in May as part of preparations for the utility’s rollout.
The establishment of the utility comes at a time when Bulawayo is pursuing a number of water-sector reforms aimed at reducing losses, improving infrastructure management and enhancing service delivery.
Latest council statistics show that the city’s dams are in a stronger position than they were at the same time last year, with operational dams holding significantly more water compared to 2025. However, council continues to grapple with challenges such as ageing infrastructure and non-revenue water losses.
Council resolved to formally approve Ms Ngoma’s appointment as board chairperson, endorse Ms Ngwenya’s appointment as company secretary and adopt the proposed seven-member board to steer the registration process and lay the foundation for the utility’s operations.
The local authority is expected to provide further details on the registration process and operational framework of the utility as implementation progresses.
