Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporter
THE Government has availed $6.9 billion and a dedicated drilling rig to Bulawayo as part of broader efforts towards the rapid improvement of water and sanitation services in the city.
The development comes in the wake of the Government having approved the appointment of a 20-member Bulawayo Water Technical Committee chaired by former chair and dean in the faculty of engineering at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), Dr Engineer Annatoria Chinyama.
The committee was tasked over a 100-day period to assist the city to ensure that there is a sustainable and adequate supply of water.
Speaking at a meeting on Bulawayo Water on Wednesday in Bulawayo, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said measures have been put in place to support the work being done by the committee.
“The Government has availed $6.9 billion towards this and it will be reprioritised according to this committee working closely with everyone, so it’s something that we are pleased with. The Government has also availed a dedicated drilling rig to the City of Bulawayo. Minister (Judith Ncube) will coordinate with the Mayor so that the most affected areas are served first to avert cholera or any other water mediated diseases. We have drilled 23 boreholes, 14 have been found wet so this is very good progress,” he said.
The Minister said the meeting which was the first meeting since the technical committee was appointed was very successful, while the committee was able to avail a Gantt chart that gave a road map for the 36 megalitres to be prioritised by the Government expenditure.
He said planning from now was on urgency and there was need to meet on a more regular basis, while he suggested it to be on a monthly basis going forward so that they are able to guide and support the technical team in what they do.
Bulawayo Minister of State for Metropolitan Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube said the city faced a number of challenges which include but not limited to inadequate raw water which will be worsened by the El Nino effects, aged infrastructure, inadequate infrastructure and skill plights among others.
Minister Ncube applauded the initiative by Government to setup the technical committee with the intention of supporting the city in its quest to improve on service delivery.
“We will not achieve vision 2030 as long as the people of Zimbabwe do not have access to clean water, safe and affordable sanitation services. I am reliably informed that Bulawayo City Council (BCC) received some funds from Treasury for the proposed projects. We appreciate this support and l believe the team is already working on procuring all that is required to achieve the set targets for the first 100-day period. I urge the team to put the funds to its intended use so as to unlock more funding,” she added.
Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor David Coltart said they were grateful for a number of proposed projects by the technical committee that would go a long way to ensure there was delivery of much higher content of water.
“We are grateful for your constructive response and support for those measures Minister Masuka, and the fact that the committee is going to be seized with looking at these issues. We are also very gratified Minister with your unequivocal support for the city to seek alternative medium term water sources including the possibility of Glassblock Dam,” he said.
“You have given us seven days to report to you and therefore to Cabinet on the feasibility of Glassblock Dam and perhaps some of these other issues which we will now address as a matter of urgency. Finally, we looked at the long term water situation and supply, on behalf of the city we thank the Government for the Gwayi-Shangani Dam project, we understand its importance in Matabeleland North and our own city in the long term.”
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