Chronicle Editor
Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) is yet to comply with the Government directive to hand over water systems to Gwanda and Beitbridge municipalities.
Zinwa was directed to hand over water treatment plants to the two councils by April 18.
The water authority was reportedly still holding onto the plants due to unpaid bills. Gwanda Municipality owes Zinwa more than $270 million and will be required to pay $18 million per month to clear the debt.
In Beitbridge, the stand-off over water management in the border town dates back about 10 years, a development that has been affecting residents as they go for weeks without the precious liquid.
Beitbridge Municipality owes Zinwa $240 million which has been outstanding for many years.
Beitbridge Mayor Councillor Munyaradzi Chitsunge said Zinwa was yet to hand over management of the water systems to the municipality.
“The handover has not been done and I’m made to understand that there are some technicalities related to the handover. Zinwa officials indicated that they would be coming this side for a meeting after having done a meeting with the town clerk and the other technical staff in Bulawayo,” said Clr Chitsunge.
Gwanda Mayor Councillor Njabulo Siziba said negotiations with Zinwa were still underway.
“Progress could be very slow bearing in mind that discussions and arrangements are still in progress. There was an engagement with Zinwa a few days before Independence Day (April 18) and we had a written agreement that council would take on Zinwa staff at the plant and put them on the municipality’s payroll to show commitment to the process,” said Clr Siziba.
Recently, Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo said the Gwanda and Beitbridge municipalities must run their own water systems in order to solve the water supply challenges in the towns.
Minister Moyo said following various consultations, it had been agreed that the municipalities run their own water management systems.
“I had been approached by the Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Abednico Ncube and was also alerted by the MP for Beitbridge East Cde Albert Nguluvhe about the situation that was prevailing in Beitbridge and in Gwanda.
I was visited by councillors from Gwanda and my response was we must meet in order to solve this matter. Before my colleague, the Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Dr Anxious Masuka left for Senegal, we had a meeting in Bulawayo together with his chief director and the chief executive officer of Zinwa.
We discussed what solutions we could proffer for this situation. We engaged councillors and management from Beitbridge and Gwanda regarding the way forward. Gwanda gave us the details of the problems they were facing and in a lot of cases they were saying similar things as those happening in Beitbridge,” said Minister Moyo.
He said they concluded that the solution to the problem is to allow the two municipalities to manage their water supply systems as opposed to Zinwa doing it.
“The two local authorities are now municipalities and should therefore be able to manage their water supply systems. Zinwa or the Ministry of Water will however, continue to give them technical assistance. Our devolution agenda requires that those ministries that devolved their duties to local authorities must follow up and work with local authorities.
We must also ensure that Zinwa gives technical support even if it means local authorities paying for that technical support so that we run our water systems efficiently taking advantage of the expertise we have in the Ministry of Water as well as Zinwa,” said Minister Moyo.
Zinwa Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager Mrs Marjorie Munyonga had not responded to questions regarding the handover at the time of going to print. — @Yolisswa
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