Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
IT’S now official that Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb is the second most populous urban ward in the country after Harare’s Budiriro ward 43, according to preliminary 2022 census results.
The suburb’s exponential growth over the years not only offers huge opportunity for new business investments and housing development but has also created a huge gap in terms of basic service delivery.
Residents say key social amenities in the area do not match the more than 75 000 people that reside in the suburb.
Cowdray Park suburb is divided into two parts – the pioneer development stands that are well serviced with access to electricity, water and sewer as well as the Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai area, which is still to be connected to the national grid and has no sewer and water services.
Residents who spoke to a Chronicle news crew say the latest preliminary census results have helped magnify their lobby for more development support in area.
The Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle area, which has more than 16 000 units is yet to be connected to sewer services although the Bulawayo City Council is working towards its connectivity.
Most of the homes in the suburb still use Blair toilets and do not have access to power while most households use firewood as a source of energy with some having installed solar. Most residents depend on makeshift tuck shops that have sprouted in the suburb due to absence of formal shopping centres.
Residents said travelling at night in the suburb is a nightmare as one risks being mugged or even raped since it will be dark. Some parts of the suburb sometimes are inaccessible especially during the rainy season as there are no proper access roads.
The number of schools is also inadequate while those few that are there do not have enough furniture and learners are forced to carry their own chairs to school, some parents said.
The release of the 2022 Population census results should, thus, be used as a window to seriously develop Cowdray Park suburb as residents feel neglected in terms of development. One of the residents, Mr Edington Mpofu, said Cowdray Park should be declared a stand-alone town so that it receives more attention as far as development is concerned.
“The census results speak a lot about the growth of Cowdray Park and statistics don’t lie. That compass is pointing to the fact that Cowdray Park should be a town of its own,” he said.
“If it becomes a stand-alone town, it will relieve Bulawayo of the pressure to provide services. It can self-sustain, and with this big population, we have to depend on that four-roomed facility that we call a clinic situated at the terminus but if we have a stand-alone town, we will be able to develop further.
“While statistics may not tell everything about the population, maybe three quarters of the population is youthful. There are no social services for young people and imagine if it was a town on its own obviously, we will focus on those issues,” said Mr Mpofu.
Another resident, Mrs Sikhululiwe Mathe, said if Cowdray Park was awarded town status, residents will receive services at their doorstep as opposed to the obtaining situation.
“At the moment we are struggling to obtain key services. We even have a registry office in the suburb but that place remains very far for most residents,” she said.
“We don’t have adequate shops, we don’t have a clinic and we have to go to Emakhandeni Clinic. Right now, there is a clinic being built but I don’t think it is big enough to cater for the suburb’s growing population. We might need a big hospital here in Cowdray Park,” said Mrs Mathe.
She said if the suburb is granted town status there will be employment opportunities for the local residents.
Mr Washington Musonza, who resides in the Hlalani Kuhle area said access to sewer reticulation was important for an urban settlement.
“I’m a permanent resident here in Cowdray Park but one of the things that really hurts me is that we have Blair toilets,” he said.
“So, our request is that a proper sewer system be installed so that we could flush toilets as well. At the same time, we want a police camp because the population is big and criminals come from wherever to hide here.
“The police base only has two police officers and they cannot attend to someone who is resident at Esigodweni or Empompini. So, if we have a police station it will be better,” said Mr Musonza.
He said while two schools – Vulindlela and Cowdray Park Primary have been constructed in the area, the learning institutions do not have adequate furniture and classrooms.
Mr Alexious Ntini said there was a need to provide more shops in the areas to make life easier for the residents and cut costs of travelling to other suburbs for basic services.
“So, I think Cowdray Park should be awarded town status, which will enable it to grow and develop like other areas. At the moment, we want to open shops here but licences are difficult to get,” he said.
Cowdray Park Ward 28 councillor, Cde Kidwell Mujuru, said it was his hope that authorities will act on the census results to develop the suburb into a town.
“The reason why we don’t have proper shops is that the council has not availed commercial stands as this place is yet to be fully serviced,” he said.
“We only have water and don’t have a sewer system. Residents are struggling and people are still using blair toilets in this day and age. Our roads are inaccessible and we don’t have adequate schools.
“We have 15 600 households here in the Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai area and we would love to have a hospital for the whole of Cowdray Park because it has 37 000 households,” said Cde Mujuru.
He concurred with residents that the suburb be declared a town.
“The census statistics come at a very good time when Government is saying no community should be left behind. Considering that it has been confirmed that Cowdray Park is bigger than places like Gwanda, Beitbridge, Hwange and even Chegutu, it will really help us if Government recognises this development and accord us a town status so that this place can be developed and get all the facilities that are required,” he said. – @nqotshili.
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