Online Reporter
Herald Reporter
WARD 16 residents in Harare have called on the City of Harare to prioritise water infrastructure, road rehabilitation, affordable billing and community development projects as part of the local authority’s 2027 budget planning.
The concerns were raised during a Ward 16 residents’ feedback and budget consultation meeting held at Mabelreign Shops Park on Sunday, where residents also pressed council to accelerate the regularisation of nearly 2 000 properties without certificates of compliance.
Ward 16 Councillor Denford Ngadziore, who also chairs the council’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Committee, said residents had made it clear that service delivery should remain at the centre of the 2027 budget.
He said while significant progress had been recorded in repairing water infrastructure, more resources were required to sustain the improvements.
“Water remains one of the major issues for our residents, but we are encouraged by the progress that has been made,” said Clr Ngadziore.
“Water pipe replacement along major roads is almost complete, while 344 leaks, including 17 major bursts, have been attended to since January.”
The City of Harare has been undertaking a major water infrastructure rehabilitation programme in partnership with Helcraw Water, involving the replacement of ageing pipes and installation of smart prepaid water meters.
The programme had, by August, seen about 70 200 prepaid meters installed and 52km of old pipelines replaced.
Residents, however, said the gains should be matched by improvements in billing and affordability, calling for no increases in rates and charges where possible and a review downwards, particularly on water-related bills.
They also called for council bills to be issued in both United States dollars and Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG).
Clr Ngadziore said council also needed to strengthen revenue collection by targeting residents with outstanding bills while ensuring that compliant ratepayers were not unfairly burdened.
“Residents have said council must engage professional debt collectors to recover outstanding rates from those who are not paying,” he said.
“We are proud that Ward 16 is among the top five wards in terms of rates payment, but there are still residents who are not paying at all.
“Everyone must comply because council cannot provide services without revenue. At the same time, we have heard residents’ concerns that increases in bills and rates should be avoided and, where possible, charges should actually be reviewed downwards.”
The meeting also called for the street lighting levy to be transparently channelled towards the installation and rehabilitation of street and tower lights, particularly in Bloomingdale, Nkwisi Gardens, Lenana Park and parts of Westlea.
Residents further demanded accelerated road maintenance and rehabilitation, while welcoming recent tar road patching in Westlea, along Kirkman Road and in central Mabelreign.
Clr Ngadziore said the council was also pursuing several community projects, including the upgrading of Mabelreign Green Market and its public toilets, construction of a community centre and development of a community clinic in Westlea.
“We already have the layout plans and land for the community clinic in Westlea. What is now required is to mobilise funding so that the project can take off,” he said.
The residents also called for the construction of a council primary school in Madokero to cater for learners from Madokero, Sanganayi, Tynwald, Bloomingdale and Stordford.
They further urged the council to conclude engagements with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works over a proposed community multi-purpose sports centre in Mabelreign along Trowbridge, behind Haig Park Primary School.
Clr Ngadziore said the proposed facility would provide residents with additional recreational and community development opportunities.
“Another priority is the proposed multi-purpose community sports centre. We need to engage and finalise the matter with the Government through the Ministry of Local Government so that the land can be put to productive community use,” he said.
On housing, residents called for the speedy regularisation of nearly 2 000 well-built houses without certificates of compliance, including properties under the 100 Percent Pay Scheme, Kirkman Park Pay Scheme, Lenana Park and South Downs, among other planned settlements.
They argued that regularisation would improve security of tenure for residents while creating an additional revenue stream for council.
Clr Ngadziore said the regularisation process should be treated as both a service delivery and revenue-generation opportunity.
“These are houses that already exist and are occupied by our residents. If we regularise them, council can bring them into the formal system, residents can obtain the necessary compliance documentation and council can also broaden its revenue base,” he said.
The meeting also received an update on refuse collection, with residents noting improvements, while council continues efforts to remove illegal tuckshops reportedly linked to the sale of illicit drugs.
The rehabilitation of Mabelreign Council Library, being supported through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), was also reported to be nearing completion.
As chairman of the SMEs Committee, Clr Ngadziore said council was working on creating additional designated trading spaces to accommodate informal traders while maintaining order in residential and commercial areas.
“Our plan is to create more trading places so that vendors can operate from designated areas. We want these facilities in different wards and communities so that when people are moved from undesignated places, there are proper places where they can conduct their businesses,” he said.
The City of Harare has previously indicated that Ward 16 is among the wards represented by Clr Ngadziore, according to its official councillor directory.
The residents’ submissions will feed into the wider 2027 budget consultation process, with council expected to balance demands for improved services with revenue collection and financial sustainability. The local authority maintains an official repository of its budget statements and related documents.
