Chronicle Editor
Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has diverted $500 000 earmarked for the construction of toilets in Mabutweni and Iminyela suburbs as well as the upgrading of Barbourfields and Luveve Stadiums to rehabilitate Burombo and Vundu Hostels.
City fathers have decided to prioritise the rehabilitation of Burombo Flats and Vundu hostels which have long been deemed unfit for human habitation by health experts.
According to the latest council report, the director of Housing and Community services, Mr Dictor Khumalo, requested permission to divert money budgeted for the upgrading of stadia and construction of toilets to rehabilitate the old structures for fear of a cholera outbreak.
“This was intended to provide budget for the rehabilitation of Burombo and Vundu Hostels. There had been no funds budgeted for in 2019. However, due to the cholera threat at the hostels, it was necessary to do extensive renovations for the hostels,” Mr Khumalo is quoted saying in the report.
The report said the Housing department requested to divert $300 000 budgeted for the upgrading of Barbourfields Stadium to rehabilitate Burombo hostels.
It also requested $100 000 budgeted for the upgrading of Luveve Stadium to rehabilitate Burombo hostels.
Vundu Hostels will be rehabilitated using $100 000 that was meant to construct toilets in Mabutweni and Iminyela suburbs.
The hostels at Burombo flats have communal toilets and an average of 50 people share a toilet after the city council shut down male toilets years ago. The place has no electricity.
The hostels were originally constructed as temporary accommodation for people working in the city while their families were in the rural areas but now they are accommodating hundreds of people which has brought health concerns.
During a recent tour of Burombo flats by Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo, the city’s Health Services director Dr Edwin Sibanda said the flats were the epicentre of TB due to overcrowding.
‘If you go to our statistics in Mzilikazi, it has the highest number of confirmed TB cases. It’s Mzilikazi and Cowdray Park which have the highest number of TB cases. Yes, we have had diarrhoea cases but they have not been confined to this building.
“We want something to be done here, in particular the overcrowding because we really have a TB problem in this place,” he said.
– @AuxiliaK
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