News / National
Cowdray Park rentals plummet due to water crisis
09 Nov 2014 at 07:27hrs | Views
THE continued unavailability of water, electricity, sanitation facilities and resultant threat of disease outbreak at the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle Housing Scheme in Cowdray Park has seen the area ranking as the cheapest residential suburb in the city in terms of rent.
A survey conducted by the State media, Sunday News, last week showed that accommodation in the area was horribly cheap with rent ranging from $5 to $15 per month for a single room.
In other parts of Cowdray Park where conditions are better, monthly rent for a single room ranges between $40 and $50, while in other parts of the city the same costs $60.
It was also observed that most residents at Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle were tenants and most owners of the houses in the area stayed in other suburbs where living conditions were better.
The Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle Housing Scheme has not had water since 2006. The Bulawayo City Council and Bulawayo Home Seekers Consortium Trust, who developed the area, have refused to accept responsibility for the situation, resulting in the area not being connected to the city's water supply system.
Residents have since resorted to building blair toilets, a feature that has made the area less attractive to accommodation seekers.
The over 5 000 households rely on three communal taps installed by the local authority as their houses are not yet connected to the city's main water system.
Two of the taps, the residents said, only work during the night, a situation that compels residents to conduct all night vigils.
Some residents, out of desperation, have dug shallow wells at their houses while others rely on water trapped in pits dug by sand poachers.
"The situation is tough here, the queues at the taps last for hours and we spend much of the time waiting for our turn to fill our buckets. There is only one tap which works throughout the day, but those who go to work can't fetch water there as there will be long queues in the evening. They will have to wait for the other taps that work at night, but again there will be long queues," said a resident only identified as MaMthembo.
"The situation is getting worse because some people are using water from shallow pits to wash clothes and do dishes. There is a risk that the water from the pits may be contaminated considering that all households use pit toilets. It is by God's grace that we have survived this long without any major disease outbreaks."
Another resident, Mrs Debra Dhliwayo, who lives with young children, expressed fear of the loss of children's lives due to the open pits and shallow wells in the area, saying everyday she had to be in constant watch of her children's moves to prevent mishaps.
"Mina ngihlezi ngilokwesaba ngoba abantwabami badlalela eduze lemithombo le ephambidlana nje kwendlu yami. Ngihlezi ngileqiniso ukuthi ngiyabelusa, ikakhulu ingane yami eleminyaka emine (I am afraid, my children always play near wells that are just a few metres away from my house. I always make sure that I guard them, especially my four-year-old son)," she said.
Mrs Dhliwayo said they had made efforts to rescue their situation by engaging the Bulawayo Home Seekers Consortium Trust and Bulawayo City Council but to no avail.
She said most residents were angry at the consortium which made them pay money towards servicing of their stands and connection of water supply to their houses but to date nothing of that sort has happened.
"I paid everything that was required and was even issued with a letter by the consortium stating that I was fully paid and that water connection would start soon. Up to now I don't have water at my place and I have made efforts to follow up but I have been referred to the city council.
"Now we are being asked by city council to pay that $50 again in order to get water connected to our houses. Personally I do not understand why we should be made to pay again. This is daylight robbery," said Mrs Dhliwayo.
Her sentiments were backed by another resident, Mr Zacharia Phiri, who urged the local authority to consider residents' health and act expeditiously to connect water supply.
Bulawayo Home Seekers Consortium Trust project manager Mr Mkhululi Nyathi said his organisation was not responsible for servicing of stands as that was the responsibility of the local authority.
He said the Trust had done its part to ensure that the stands were serviced and water was connected and the buck now stopped with BCC.
"What I can tell you is that 4 000 units are ready to be connected to the individual pipes but I cannot say when they will be connected that is the job of the council. We have done our part as a consortium," said Mr Nyathi.
However, Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo was adamant that the local authority was not to blame for the situation at the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle housing scheme, saying the scheme was a Government project and the land developer was responsible for servicing of the stands.
He said council had done its job by establishing the three communal taps in the section of the suburb and residents should pay the local authority if they wanted water pipes to be connected to their houses.
"The Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle stands were a Government and self-help project whereby people should contribute towards servicing of the stands. City council established those communal taps and that is far as we could go. What is left is to have pipes going to the individual houses and that requires residents or the land developer to pay the local authority," said the Mayor.
A survey conducted by the State media, Sunday News, last week showed that accommodation in the area was horribly cheap with rent ranging from $5 to $15 per month for a single room.
In other parts of Cowdray Park where conditions are better, monthly rent for a single room ranges between $40 and $50, while in other parts of the city the same costs $60.
It was also observed that most residents at Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle were tenants and most owners of the houses in the area stayed in other suburbs where living conditions were better.
The Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle Housing Scheme has not had water since 2006. The Bulawayo City Council and Bulawayo Home Seekers Consortium Trust, who developed the area, have refused to accept responsibility for the situation, resulting in the area not being connected to the city's water supply system.
Residents have since resorted to building blair toilets, a feature that has made the area less attractive to accommodation seekers.
The over 5 000 households rely on three communal taps installed by the local authority as their houses are not yet connected to the city's main water system.
Two of the taps, the residents said, only work during the night, a situation that compels residents to conduct all night vigils.
Some residents, out of desperation, have dug shallow wells at their houses while others rely on water trapped in pits dug by sand poachers.
"The situation is tough here, the queues at the taps last for hours and we spend much of the time waiting for our turn to fill our buckets. There is only one tap which works throughout the day, but those who go to work can't fetch water there as there will be long queues in the evening. They will have to wait for the other taps that work at night, but again there will be long queues," said a resident only identified as MaMthembo.
"The situation is getting worse because some people are using water from shallow pits to wash clothes and do dishes. There is a risk that the water from the pits may be contaminated considering that all households use pit toilets. It is by God's grace that we have survived this long without any major disease outbreaks."
Another resident, Mrs Debra Dhliwayo, who lives with young children, expressed fear of the loss of children's lives due to the open pits and shallow wells in the area, saying everyday she had to be in constant watch of her children's moves to prevent mishaps.
"Mina ngihlezi ngilokwesaba ngoba abantwabami badlalela eduze lemithombo le ephambidlana nje kwendlu yami. Ngihlezi ngileqiniso ukuthi ngiyabelusa, ikakhulu ingane yami eleminyaka emine (I am afraid, my children always play near wells that are just a few metres away from my house. I always make sure that I guard them, especially my four-year-old son)," she said.
Mrs Dhliwayo said they had made efforts to rescue their situation by engaging the Bulawayo Home Seekers Consortium Trust and Bulawayo City Council but to no avail.
She said most residents were angry at the consortium which made them pay money towards servicing of their stands and connection of water supply to their houses but to date nothing of that sort has happened.
"I paid everything that was required and was even issued with a letter by the consortium stating that I was fully paid and that water connection would start soon. Up to now I don't have water at my place and I have made efforts to follow up but I have been referred to the city council.
"Now we are being asked by city council to pay that $50 again in order to get water connected to our houses. Personally I do not understand why we should be made to pay again. This is daylight robbery," said Mrs Dhliwayo.
Her sentiments were backed by another resident, Mr Zacharia Phiri, who urged the local authority to consider residents' health and act expeditiously to connect water supply.
Bulawayo Home Seekers Consortium Trust project manager Mr Mkhululi Nyathi said his organisation was not responsible for servicing of stands as that was the responsibility of the local authority.
He said the Trust had done its part to ensure that the stands were serviced and water was connected and the buck now stopped with BCC.
"What I can tell you is that 4 000 units are ready to be connected to the individual pipes but I cannot say when they will be connected that is the job of the council. We have done our part as a consortium," said Mr Nyathi.
However, Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo was adamant that the local authority was not to blame for the situation at the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle housing scheme, saying the scheme was a Government project and the land developer was responsible for servicing of the stands.
He said council had done its job by establishing the three communal taps in the section of the suburb and residents should pay the local authority if they wanted water pipes to be connected to their houses.
"The Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle stands were a Government and self-help project whereby people should contribute towards servicing of the stands. City council established those communal taps and that is far as we could go. What is left is to have pipes going to the individual houses and that requires residents or the land developer to pay the local authority," said the Mayor.
Source - Sunday News
