Online Reporter
Zimpapers Reporter
BULAWAYO Mayor Senator David Coltart has called for the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve service delivery, saying outdated systems and bureaucracy are slowing down investment and business in the city.
Speaking during the July full council meeting, Mayor Coltart said council recently met representatives of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), who raised concerns over delays in council’s application processes.
He said the discussions identified four major factors affecting the ease of doing business in Bulawayo.
According to the Mayor, some of council’s policies have become outdated and require review.
“The use of AI is increasing globally. This is making it easier to do work. AI should be applied in council systems to reduce bureaucracy,” he said.
He also identified inadequate staff training as another challenge, saying many council officials lacked sufficient training to efficiently execute their duties.
The Mayor further said there was a culture of officials fearing to make decisions, adding that decisions should instead be made confidently within council procedures.
Corruption was identified as the fourth challenge.
Mayor Coltart said some bureaucratic processes had created loopholes that encouraged corruption, emphasising that council maintained a zero-tolerance approach to graft.
The remarks came after council engaged the business community on measures aimed at improving service delivery and creating a more business-friendly operating environment.
