Chronicle Editor
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
SOME suburbs that have been subjected to a contentious battle between the Bulawayo City Council and Umguza Rural District Council, on whose jurisdiction they fall under have finally been given the green light to voluntarily incorporate with the former.
A number of suburbs located on the outskirts of the city, which falls under the Umguza Rural District Council, have been operating without key social amenities, with BCC previously refusing to connect them to its water and sewer reticulation system, arguing that the suburbs did not fall under its jurisdiction, despite being located just at the boundary between the city and Umguza.
The Presidential Proclamation 15E of 2004 and the subsequent Statutory Instruments (SI) that created the metropolitan provinces of Bulawayo and Harare, metropolitan boundaries were declared as covering a radius of up to 40 kilometres and in Bulawayo most of those areas are under the jurisdiction of Umguza RDC.
However, there has been confusion over the implementation of this SI with a number of suburbs including Mbundane and Emthunzini, in the city operating without key social amenities as BCC and Umguza RDC continue the tiff over which local authority has the responsibility to connect water and sewer reticulation systems.
There was hope in 2017, when the two local authorities signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), where BCC agreed that they will service Mbundane and Emthunzini suburbs with water and sewer reticulation.
However, since then, no efforts were made to ensure the connection of the suburbs. Umguza RDC at one point accused BCC of trying to “steal” its land without any compensation.
However, according to the latest BCC report, seven developers of seven suburbs that are located on the boundary of the two local authorities, have since applied to BCC seeking voluntary incorporation, which they have since been granted.
Some of the reasons put forward by BCC for the incorporation was that it was prudent as the revenue collection base was increased and further the population also increased, this resulting in more national resources being allocated.
The seven suburbs are; Inhliziyo (Maharba Land Developers), Emthunzini (Hawkflight Construction), Hopelyn (Lynden Pvt Ltd), King City (Radar Properties), Lovendale (MSN Land developers), Rangemore (Capson Crispin Ndlovu) and another area that is owned by the Public Service Pension Fund.
BCC has granted the consent, noting that the suburbs were located within an area that its masterplan had already identified for incorporation.
“The procedure for incorporation was defined in Section 4(2) of the Urban Councils Act and the implications for incorporation are detailed in Section 10(1) and (2).
The two local authorities were required to consent to the voluntary incorporations. The applications together with the resolutions of the two affected local authorities were submitted to the minister who should then give directions to the Town Clerk in terms of the Urban Councils Act.
“From a town planning point of view, there were no objections provided the applicant obtains consent from Umguza Rural District Council and sought ministerial approval. It was this department’s considered view that the letter of no objection be given as the properties were covered by the masterplan and zoned residential,” reads the report.
The local authority further noted that once a letter of no objection had been given by BCC the applicants would have to approach Umguza RDC before making an application to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works in terms of the Urban Council’s Act.
Giving further details on the incorporation of these suburbs, according to the report, the BCC director of town planning, Mr Wisdom Siziba had revealed that as per the masterplan several areas had been earmarked for compulsory incorporation.
He noted that other areas had since applied for voluntary incorporation, and after approval by the Local Government Ministry, it became part of the city.
“The Town Clerk (Mr Christopher Dube) advised that RDCs were not mandated to create urban settlements. The Urban Councils Act Chapter 29:15 allowed the cities to expand to RDC areas and the Master Plan had a radius of 40kms. All RDCs within the 40km radius could not develop without the City’s consent.
“The current applications were voluntary. King City Settlement was well developed. Engagements were being made with King City Settlement to expand its services and assist in the construction of relevant infrastructure such as sewer outfalls.
Council had a resolution to incorporate part of Umguza RDC. Once this was done council would ensure order and plan accordingly for the residents as they were putting pressure on council services like clinics, schools and other social amenities,” reads the report.
Online Reporter