Council under fire for unfulfilled promises

By Thandeka Matebesi

Emganwini residents in Ward 26 are up in arms with the Bulawayo City Council for failing to honour the promise to deliver water to the residents.

The residents have reportedly gone for four days without any water supply from the council bowser, a development which has greatly infuriated them.

One of the residents, Mrs Dube said the council officials responsible for bowser deliveries were not forthcoming and as residents they had resolved to take the matter to council offices in the city centre.

“Since the beginning of the water crisis in June the council promised us that they will allocate us the bowser, because our houses are located on a higher terrain. Sometimes we spend a month or more without getting water supplies from the tap. Even the council bowser sometimes does not bring water, yet they know that water is a challenge we have got children we need to be taking care of.

“This week we phoned the council bowser officials for our usual water allocation and they told us that they had no diesel yet we pay rates every month. It is sad that they gave us the fuel excuse yet we saw the bowser delivering water in a nearby neighborhood. Those in charge of allocation are engaging in nepotism at the expense of the masses. So today we are taking the matter to the relevant authorities at tower block building if they will not answer to our demands then we will go to the next office”, said Mrs Dube.

Another resident who identified himself as Mr. Sibanda said the council had promised them that the bowser will be delivering water twice a week but that is not what is happening on the ground.

“We do not know what is happening with the council bowser and it is not the first time that  this has happened. Sometimes we do not get any water on the day before the bowser is supposed to come and it still does not show up. This is confusing and infuriating because the City council said that they will allocate us the bowser twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays precisely. Today is Thursday and we have been waiting for the Bowser since Monday”, said Sibanda.

Another resident who identified himself as Thandekile  Ndlovu said there is no borehole in their area and without water supply from the council residents suffer a lot.

“The last houses in Emganwini have not received water for weeks now. There is a council bowser that gives water regularly but in the past week there bowser has not come to the but has been seen delivering water at the shops nearby. When residents called the authorities in charge of bowser allocation, they claimed they had no diesel, yet the residents had seen the vehicle delivering water half a kilometre away. This leaves  residents with no choice but to go to higher authorities if the council does not take action”, charged Ndlovu