Chronicle Editor
Chronicle Writer
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is struggling to build 1 331 toilet units in Iminyela and Mabuthweni suburbs citing a lack of funds for the project.
In June this year, the council revealed that it had set aside a budget of US$187 000 to eliminate the shared toilet system in Mabuthweni and Iminyela suburbs.
In Iminyela, only 10 toilet units have been completed and 217 remaining partially complete while 484 toilets had been done to date at Mabuthweni.
“A total of 1 331 units were still outstanding from the two suburbs,” Housing and Community Services director, Mr Dictor Khumalo, told the council recently.
In 2012, the local authority said it would build individual toilets before selling the houses to sitting tenants.
Residents from the two suburbs have for years been using communal toilets.
More than three households shared one toilet and residents used to complain about the state of the ablution facilities.
Council, in partnership with Zimbabwe Homeless People’s Federation (ZIHOPFE), Dialogue on Shelter (DOS) and the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), provided about 80 percent of the required money through loans advanced to residents.
Residents had to raise the remaining 20 percent and pay back the loans over two years at $15 per month.
In 2019, the Chronicle reported, based on the local authority’s report, that it had diverted $500 000 earmarked for the construction of toilets in Mabuthweni and Iminyela suburbs, as well as the upgrading of Barbourfields and Luveve Stadiums to rehabilitate Burombo and Vundu Hostels.
On home ownership conversion, the council said a total of 410 houses had been converted to date from rented to home ownership.
In Mzilikazi/Makokoba a total of 1567 houses had so far been converted to home ownership out of a total of 2283 units and 716 units were yet to be converted.
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