Day Number 8 without water in Gwanda

Residents of Gwanda are up in arms with their council as the town enters its 8th day with no water in their pipes.

According to reports coming through from the town, council has not been able to pump water to the households due to a technical and an administrative bungle between council and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA). According to reports which could not be confirmed with council authorities, council and ZINWA are at loggerheads as to who between the two authorities should pay for repairs on the main water pump which pumps the water from the water treatment plan operated by ZINWA to the Reticulation tanks operated by council.

According to reports, ZINWA claims not to be having money to effect the repairs as it is owed millions of dollars by the local authority. The council which is also near bankrupt even failing to pay its workers their salaries claims not to have the funds too.

The wrangle between council and Municipality has been on going for years now as council is demanding to take over the water treatment plant from ZINWA which the later is refusing to release until they are paid all the amounts owed by council. In the recent past ZINWA had to resort to disconnecting water supplies to council until council went on a begging spree enticing Minister Obert Mpofu to pay nearly $100 000 to ZINWA on behalf of council in exchange for prime industrial land.

Contacted for a comment, the Spokesperson for the Gwanda Residents Association Mr Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo, indicated that the residents committee will be meeting tonight (Monday) to attend to the issue. Maduma Fuzwayo emphasised that the issue of the erratic water supply in the town has got to a stage where residents are losing their patience with council and ZINWA and drastic action is on its way.



"We are tired of the same story of council versus ZINWA and yet that squabble is failing to bring us water into our glasses. I regret to warn both ZINWA and Council that we also can no longer contain the anger from the residents and they must brace themselves for a mass protest coming their way from the residents," said Maduma. "We will try and meet the two bodies as quickly as tomorrow morning (Tuesday) if nothing comes out of that meeting unfortunately we will be left with no option but allow the residents to exercise their constitutional right to a peaceful demonstration against the authorities," he added.

Comment could not be obtained from the Town Clerk and the Town Engineer who were reported to be in a meeting. ZINWA officials in Gwanda referred the reporter to a Mr Rosen yet refusing to provide his contact details.