David Coltart held up by Bulawayo's empty coffers?

Bulawayo Mayor, David Coltart, has expressed concerns regarding the US$20 million debt owed by the city's residents and ratepayers. It has been 45 days since Coltart was elected as the Mayor of Bulawayo.

Coltart, a former Primary and Secondary Education minister, mentioned that his initial focus has been on understanding the diverse challenges facing the city since taking office. He highlighted the slow progress during his term due to financial constraints.

"The major problem is that the council is lacking money. It's owed US$20 million by ratepayers, and it has a limited ability to borrow money, making it difficult to secure the necessary funding for various projects," he stated.

Coltart revealed that he has started discussions with companies regarding sewage works, which are operating at a very low capacity. Additionally, he mentioned that several contracts related to projects such as the rehabilitation of sewage works, the Egodini Mall, and parking management are either stalled or yet to be implemented.

As a member of the Citizens Coalition for Change, Coltart was elected as the Ward 4 councillor during the August elections and subsequently assumed office as Mayor on September 11.