Govt intervention exposes council ineptitude

THIS year is extraordinarily challenging, as the Government is having to dig deep into its coffers to support communities affected by the El Niño-induced drought.

Some households in urban areas will have to be supported as well.

So, the Government has had to do this and more.

And, as a country that has been lagging behind in terms of development relative to its peers, due to obvious reasons, which include the 23-year-old sanctions, it cannot postpone the targeted critical infrastructural development programmes.

However, due to the sheer ineptitude of the Harare City Council, the Government has had to step in to protect residents, especially in situations where there have been direct threats to health and lives.

Although they had set themselves an ambitious goal of attaining world-class city status by 2025, Harare was, however, regressing, as service delivery deteriorated to alarming levels.

Uncollected garbage, lack of potable water and burst sewer pipes became the norm.

Roads continued to rot away, while malfunctioning street and traffic lights summed up the sad situation in the capital.

But thanks to Government’s recent intervention, the situation is beginning to change for the better, albeit slowly.

Harare, as the capital, which represents the soul of the nation, has to regain its glitter.

The Government-led Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme has made a noticeable difference.

It is encouraging to know that at least 40 roads in and around the city are undergoing major rehabilitation in preparation for the upcoming SADC summit.

What is, however, comforting is the assurance that works will continue after the regional indaba, in line with the Government’s broad vision of creating a modern, prosperous and highly industrialised country by 2030.

In addition to providing convenience to motorists, good roads are a key enabler for business and commerce.

The scope of the current works also includes installing new traffic and street lights, which is a welcome development.

Well-lit roads also improve safety for motorists, bikers and pedestrians.

The Harare City Council has been failing residents for far too long and has lately publicly begged for the Government’s assistance to clean up the capital.

Highlighting its commitment to improving people’s lives, the authorities have duly obliged.

But a sustainable solution is needed to ensure that our towns and cities are not left behind in the present nation-wide modernisation drive.

The ongoing probe by the Justice Maphios Cheda-led commission of inquiry is a good starting point, as it will help us map a sustainable way forward.

Current systems at the City of Harare create conditions for corruption.

News that companies such as Synlak Private Limited owe the council US$240 000 for an uncompleted waste-to-energy project in Mbare after the local authority had paid US$465 290 for the project in 2015 does not inspire confidence.

Clearly, those funds could have been put to good use.

But this is just a microcosm of the pervasive malfeasance that had become associated with the Harare City Council.

Elsewhere in this paper, we carry a report on the contamination of boreholes — which have become a go-to source for water for domestic use — in some of the city’s high-density suburbs. This is hardly an example of a city driving towards world-class city status.

Since the Government’s intervention is only transitory, the council should carry out its mandate as expected and demanded.

But due to the importance of council services, local authorities cannot be left to their own devices, and this makes President Mnangagwa’s blueprint for service delivery, “Call to action — No compromise to service delivery”, critical in shaping the sustainable management of our cities going forward.

Local governments are there to serve residents, rather than being served by residents. We can only hope that the city fathers will take a cue from the Government’s recent actions to spruce up the capital.

Harare, under the Government’s stewardship, has begun to make baby steps towards the city that we all want and deserve, but we need to make giant steps to leapfrog our development, considering our circumstances.

Be that as it may, Harare will never be the same again.