Hwange Water Crisis: A litmus test for local officials as elections approach

Calvin Manika

Empumalanga Phase 4 has had water shortages for months and the situation is dire as people worry about disease outbreaks. The water crisis has coincided with a pre-election period that is gathering momentum and it may have a big say in deciding how residents vote.

The Hwange Local Board’s expansion plan includes the creation of Empumalanga phase 4, a new neighborhood in the coal mining town. The neighborhood is an extension of Hwange’s oldest high-density suburb of Empumalanga. Residents settled in the area long before it was completely reticulated. Over time, the majority of homes have complied with the council set standards.

Hwange Local Board (HLB) began installing water and sewage pipes in 500 homes in Empumalanga Phase 4 in 2021. The project was able to connect 60% of the homes, leaving the other 40% unconnected and in need of alternative water sources. The local board blamed the missed deadlines on the previous contractor.

After two years, Empumalanga Phase 4 was disconnected, marking a a return it to the years of difficult water availability. This time, the councilor is in a predicament as the locals look for a long-term fix.

The Hwange Local Board’s failure to pay water bills to ZINWA has been blamed for the cutting off of water supplies to households. Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) is in charge of managing the water under HLB. HLB claims that although ZINWA’s calculations are incorrect, it has not failed to pay the bills in response to the charge.

Residents and the Hwange Local Board (HLB) have expressed concerns regarding the $28 million ZINWA bill they received. Residents of Hwange recently received a $28 million bill from ZINWA which they are supposed to pay through the council, but the local authority claims it believes the amount is overstated.

The problem was brought up in a letter dated March 7 that was addressed to the council chairperson by HLB town secretary Ndumisani Mdlalose.

“The public is notified that there appears to be a disparity between the ZINWA charge from the bulk meter and the council bill to the concerned residents, according to council records. ZINWA’s bill is $28 million, whereas the council’s price to the homeowners, which is determined by the water meters of the households, is $9,4 million. “Of the $9,4 million that council billed, $6,1 million was paid to ZINWA, and $3,7 million was received from residents of Empumalanga Phase 4,” Mdlalose said.

Council also said, according to preliminary examinations, the ZINWA bulk water meter that supplies inhabitants of Empumalanga Phase 4 may be defective, which could explain the mismatch.

“Moving forward, council will make sure that its own reading of the same bulk meter water is combined with ZINWA’s findings. In addition, the council wants to determine the cost per unit of water delivered to the council by ZINWA. According to preliminary observations, the ZINWA rates have been rising month after month while the council’s fees to residents of Empumalanga Phase 4 have not kept up with the ZINWA bill,” the notice added. 

Residents have made appeals to the local councilor to help during the crisis, which has lasted for more than a month. They are hoping for  action from ZINWA and the local board to supply water. Residents are however, outraged that their councilor has not resolved the issue and are now turning to other councilors and the member of parliament for Hwange Central Constituency.

The Hwange Local Board is in the process of using a bowser to provide water to the locals. But residents  argue that the councilor for the area needs to take additional action.

“In council, we require active representation. The local leadership failed to check and keep us informed at some point along the way. Authorities should periodically check on things even if everything appears to be going well,” said Patrick Chiseru, a local resident.

Daniel Molokela, member of parliament for Hwange Central, responded to questions from the locals by saying it was not his place to meddle in matters involving the local government and that he was unable to speak to the two warring parties.

“I appreciate you letting me know. Nevertheless, as you may be aware, I have little influence on local government matters as a member of parliament. Until a councilor personally requests me to intervene or I receive a formal petition from the community,” said Molokela.

According to the local ward 6 councilor Andrew Mumpande, a deadlock between the Hwange Local Board and ZINWA has left his community without water for a month.

“We are working hard to guarantee that residents have access to water by cooperating with the local board. The issue is that the local board is disputing the costs that ZINWA billed. Issues are being resolved. There are certain options on the table, particularly regarding the invoicing process and resident payment concerns. Like before, we will update our residents,” Mumpande said.

The water crisis in Empumalanga phase 4 is a symptom of a long-standing issue the coal mining community has experienced.

As the nation gets ready for the harmonised elections, the crisis brought up the rarely mentioned functions of members of parliament and local authorities, as well as their limitations. In Matabeleland North, it has been observed that there is a lack of understanding when people hold the MP responsible for matters that are the responsibility of local government.

According to political analyst Chamunorwa Makwarimba, it is critical for the electorate, which includes residents, to distinguish between the two offices and be able to force each person to respond in the context of their responsibilities rather than being taken from pillar to post  without a resolution.

“Politicians frequently choose to disregard certain issues and only try to address them when asked for clarification. Political parties and civic society organizations must therefore inform the voters about the responsibilities of MPs, Councilors, even Senators and the President. In a democracy where we live on accountability and openness, this is healthy,” said Makwarimba.

Due to a persistent water problem and overpopulation in 2021, hundreds of residents in the Hwange Colliery Company concession were at risk of getting Covid-19 and other waterborne illnesses. People eventually had to get their water from unsafe sources like ruptured pipes.

The Greater Whange Residents Trust Coordinator Fidelis Chima described the use of shared toilets as dreadful and colonial, claiming that the water shortage has persisted for the last 10 years.

“Given that there is sometimes no running water and the large number of people using these facilities, it is best to remove the colonial-era public restrooms in the concession area. With no end in sight to the water problem, it has been more than ten years,” said Chima.

In areas controlled by National Railways of Zimbabwe, the Hwange Colliery Company, and most recently the Hwange Local Board, a water shortage has worsened over time. According to locals, Hwange’s water situation exposes the representatives they chose.

“At least, the lack of water from the source is not the cause of our crisis. There is a lot of it. We are urged to treat elections seriously when choosing our representatives because this is a testament to our failure,” said Memory Mwale of Empumalanga Phase 4.