Bulawayo residents petition BCC over water billing, parking management

BULAWAYO residents are fed up with the city council’s poor service delivery and plan to submit a three-page petition to the local authority concerning their water supply, billing and parking management.

The residents argue that the council’s billing system has significantly increased expenses for services not rendered, citing inflated bills despite experiencing severe water shortages. These are based on estimated usage rather than accurate readings.

The residents want a review of the billing practices to ensure accuracy and fairness, which means the council should only charge residential consumers for actual water consumption.

“It has come to our attention that the Bulawayo City Council has failed to provide a consistent and reliable water supply to our homes. Despite this lack of service, residents are continually issued water bills that reflect estimated usage rather than actual consumption, leading to exorbitant charges for services not rendered,” the petition reads.

Residents argue that the dysfunctional billing system is being used to exploit them financially as some houses go for weeks without water.

“With water only being supplied once a week, residents are left to wonder why they are being charged for a service that is not consistently provided. Why should we pay for non-existent services?” residents asked.

“If this were a private company, legal action would undoubtedly follow. The BCC seems to operate under a different set of rules, using its authority to take advantage of vulnerable residents.”

The petition also demands a more transparent communication system regarding service interruptions and water supply issues.

“They must review and adjust billing practices to ensure that residents are not held accountable for estimated charges that do not reflect actual consumption. They must also develop a transparent communication strategy to inform residents about service interruptions and water supply issues,” read the petition.

Residents also raised concerns over the management of parking in the city being handled by BCC in collaboration with Tendy Three Investments (TTI).

They claim that TTI is wreaking havoc on drivers, issuing exorbitant fines for minor infractions and implementing a disproportionate penalty like US$40 for minor infractions, such as a vehicle’s wheels on the line. This can escalate to astonishing towing fees if not paid promptly.

“This is a disproportionate penalty that can escalate to towing fees exceeding US$100 if not paid promptly within two hours,” read the petition.

Residents also called for a review of the US$1 parking fee, proposing that the first hour of parking be complementary to promote fairness. They noted that business and building owners are subject to the same parking fees as regular motorists, regardless of their proximity to their properties.

“Business and building owners are subjected to the same parking fees as general motorists, regardless of their proximity to their properties. This policy is inequitable and must be reconsidered,” read the petition.

“Instances of clamping service vehicles, including police cars, have been trending on social media indicating a lack of discretion and understanding of the needs of essential service providers.”

They also suggested staff training programmes to ensure professionalism in their interactions with the public citing unprofessional behaviour from TTI marshals manning the city’s parking bays.

The residents hope that their concerns will lead to meaningful reforms in how the council provides essential services, such as water supply and parking management.