GZU water supply cut

Walter Mswazie  Masvingo Correspondent
GREAT Zimbabwe University (GZU) has gone for two weeks without running water after Masvingo City Council cut supplies over non-payment of bills.
The water cut has caused some students to miss lectures as they spend much time looking for the precious liquid.
“We spent the whole of last week and we are already into second week without attending lectures. This is worrying and we are lagging behind,” said a student in the Faculty of Education.

Another student said there are many students at the main campus raising fears of disease outbreak.
“We are afraid of contracting diseases like cholera, dysentery and other waterborne diseases due to the situation,” he said.
GZU spokesperson James July confirmed the problem but said students were using borehole water.

“Yes, I confirm that there is a problem of water at the campus. I saw students with buckets yesterday and today fetching water from the borehole. While I don’t know whether the supplies were cut by the city council or there is a problem of power like last time, we have drilled some boreholes from which they can get water,” said July.

He however, said the boreholes were overwhelmed by the high number of students as they are sharing them with Masvingo Teachers’ College.
“The number of boreholes we have drilled may be overwhelmed by the users because they also cater for students from the teachers’ college. We share the same premises with the college and that could a challenge,” he said.

Masvingo Mayor Hubert Fidze confirmed council cut water supplies to the university.
“Yes, we cut supplies due to non-payment of water bills. The money could be amounting to several thousands of dollars although I don’t have the actual figures. You can confirm with the town clerk,” he said.

Town clerk Adolf Guzha however said a pipe burst caused the water cut.
“Sorry, we do not disclose what our clients owe us to the media. That’s confidential information. What I know is that the cutting of water supplies to GZU was to do with a pipe burst and the situation could have been rectified by now,” he said.