Harare mayor says more water disconnections are to be enforced

Harare Residents Trust has expressed alarm following the city mayor, Bernard Manyenyeni's remarks that  more water cuts must be expected by many owing residents.

"More water cuts are looming Harare as the Harare Mayor and Councillor Bernad Munyenyeni said more shutdowns on water supply are expected if the city is to be able to complete its maintenance work," said the trust. "This has come as an alarm to the HRT that if there is going to be a continued water shutdown what will be of the residents as cholera outbreak is already the talk of the day. How will residents cope if the council is operating in such a manner. It is no longer news that we experiencing drought in Zimbabwe boreholes are running dry where then is the council expecting residents to get water from?"

In a facebook chat Manyenyeni said there were some refurbishments taking place and they expect final results in 12 months or so.

"You also need to know that each long shutdown is a great opportunity for smaller maintainance work which require (but don't justify) complete shutdowns," said Manyenyeni.

"There are water bursts which can go on for months because fixing them require shutdowns which are worse than the waters lost! !"

Nicky Bennett responded saying "if that's the case so why rush to demolish people's homes when the running of your system is not adequate. Adding problems on top of problems? So how are people with demolished houses going to cope? Failure is failure. Water systems should be monitored always to avoid people having no water. So should people import water?"

Desmond Kumbuka also said as residents they expect solutions not excuses.

 "We endure these shut-downs, disruptions etc, but the quality of the water remains poor and we wonder what these "refurbishments" are meant to achieve. For years now, water in my area, Haig Park, Mabelreign comes in drops, dark, oily and ominous and clearly unfit for human consumption. But without fail, their bills come every month accompanied by threats or property seizures etc if one fails to pay. Quite honestly I, like many other residents, feel that Harare Municipality has become a delinquent institution engaged in day-light robbery from residents. The council is giving us a raw deal - they do not deserve a single cent of the money they extort from us every month," he said.

Manyenyeni responded, "I trust you are paying your bills and I invite you to also visit such big project and ask pertinent questions. Blanket fury may be justifiable from an armchair but a fuller appreciation of council business is enriching."

 Kumbuka said "Its not as if a have choice on paying bills do I? - as for appreciating council business or visiting council projects - I have my own business to take care of and that is how I manage to pay the bills. I pay the council to provide me with a service and that is what I expect. I am justified to be angry, whether from a armchair or where ever, when that service is not forthcoming."

Simeon Mawanza said "You have a point there Desmond. Residents have every right to demand better services particularly if they are paying their rates. His worship is out of order to try to down play a concern of a resident and patronize him. I also think council should be providing water bowsers during such long cut offs. If they cannot do so out of their own initiative then someone must approach the courts to compel them to do so. There is no place for arrogance in public service."

 Manyenyeni said "There is no arrogance but both sides are demanding their pound of flesh - simple. I expect a complaint resident to demand services and also appreciate where we are coming from. When we are getting half of the budget revenue - I am a lot more connected to someone who is playing their part!"

 Kumbuka said "Your worship, we appreciate that you do make this effort to be interact with residents - its commendable. It is also probably not your fault that the situation regarding service delivery is in such a deplorable state."

 Manyenyeni said the rates discussion has no emotions it is the one which defines the city.

"You will need to share that the rates for our high density suburbs is about 70 cents a day rising to $2 per day for the more affluent wards. No amount of goodwill and effort will revive the city services without the necessary cash streams especially when we know that the city is burdened by a quarter century of infrastructure deficit and serving ten times is design capacity and growing," he said.