Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube, Deputy Radar Editor
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has resolved to seek authority from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to begin the process of recruiting 500 workers to fill in critical posts and gaps that were left vacant due to natural attrition.
The proposed recruitment drive is intended to address staffing gaps across key departments that have affected service delivery over the years, following, among other issues, retirements, resignations and deaths.
If approved by the ministry, the recruitment exercise will allow the local authority to strengthen its operational capacity, particularly in essential service areas that have been operating below optimal staffing levels.
BCC has in recent years been constrained from hiring due to Government freeze on all recruitments, as a result, many positions, including those left vacant through natural attrition were not immediately replaced.
According to a council confidential report, the proposed new recruitments will be spread among the local authority’s 10 departments, with Water and Sanitation, Housing and Community Services and the Health Services department jointly getting the highest number of new workers, at 85 each.
“The Human Capital Director reported, on 23 January 2026, that council had an authorised establishment of 4 690, currently council had a total of 1 456 vacancies as at December 2025.
“It was against this background that authority was sought to apply to the parent Ministry for approval to fill 500 critical vacancies and critical positions that become vacant due to natural attrition,” reads the report.
To add on to the three departments, other departments will see Works getting 77 new workers, Chamber Secretary (63), Financial Services (56), Town Planning (21), Human Capital (20), Town Clerk’s (5) and Internal Audit and Risk Management Services will get three new employee.
The local authority revealed that all the positions have been catered for in the 2026 budget.
Council sources said the planned recruitment will focus on priority areas where shortages have had a direct impact on service delivery.
The move comes as the city continues to face challenges in areas such as water supply, refuse collection, road maintenance and other municipal services, which residents have often attributed to limited manpower.
Once permission is granted, BCC is expected to outline the recruitment modalities and timelines in line with Government guidelines.
Bulawayo councillors have also previously expressed concern over staffing levels at council clinics, a development they say was compromising access to healthcare services in the city.
In 2010, the Government issued a directive barring councils from recruiting additional staff as they were incapacitated to pay them.
The ban affected most local authorities who were forced to compromise on service delivery due to staff shortages.
In July 2019, the then Bulawayo Mayor, Solomon Mguni said the local authority had a shortage of 500 workers and this had affected service delivery across the city.
The local authority then approached the Government to seek approval to hire more workers, which was subsequently granted.
