Covid-19 delays Bulawayo projects

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
THE Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected the African Development Bank (AfDB) funded Bulawayo Water and Sewerage Service Improvement Project (BWSSIP), as an additional US$1,6 million is needed to complete the works.

The US$37 million project was launched in 2016 and upon completion is expected to improve water supply and sewerage services through the rehabilitation and enhancement of the water supply mostly in western suburbs.

The funds for the project were advanced to the local authority, although Government was involved in securing the funds.

BWSSIP will address sewer pipe burst problems in most residential areas caused by ageing infrastructure and vandalism of sewer pipes.

Bulawayo is also losing a lot of potable water due to burst pipes.

The project was expected to be completed at the end of this year, but Covid-19 disrupted and derailed the implementation of works, costing the local authority US$1,6 million in the process.

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) deputy director of engineering services engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube told a media briefing that council has engaged Government to pay for the additional cost incurred following the stalled implementation of the project.

Eng Ncube said when Covid-19 induced lockdown was imposed, contractors suspended works but their equipment remained on site, and they were still charging for it.

“Remember we had Covid-19 from March to date and during the time when we had contractors not working, their plant and workers were still on ground. So, this comes with related cost and those costs are being claimed by contractors now. Since people stopped working, there were extensions of time that were extended to Government and submitted. This project was due to be completed on 31 December 2020 so it has been extended to next year. That comes with additional costs,” said Eng Ncube.

“We have since written to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for the release of US$1,6 million to assist with those additional costs. Otherwise we might reduce the scope of work on some of these projects. For instance, where we were saying we need to replace 20km pipelines, we may now be replacing 10km.

“Where we had projected to put a 10km sewer outflow, we may end up putting 4km to try and contain the projects within the money that we have. That is why we have been requesting Government to support us,” he said. — @nqotshili