NGOs rescue Bulawayo, fund boreholes rehab

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has initiated repairs on malfunctioning boreholes using emergency funds provided by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Mayor David Coltart announced that these NGOs have mobilized resources to address the city's water crisis. While the Zimbabwe National Water Authority has been requested to handle boreholes outside of Bulawayo, the city focuses on those within its jurisdiction.

Council spokesperson Nesisa Mpofu reported that Bulawayo has 412 community boreholes, of which 43 are non-functional. In June, UNICEF, with Africa Ahead as the implementing partner, rehabilitated 12 boreholes. An additional 35 boreholes are under assessment for rehabilitation under an emergency water response program supported by SIDA-ACF, again with Africa Ahead as the partner.

Despite these efforts, 76 boreholes around the city remain broken, causing residents to struggle for water. The city's water and sanitation department indicated that repairs have been delayed due to a shortage of spare parts. Earlier this year, the BCC proposed fixing all malfunctioning boreholes to alleviate the water shortage, a plan discussed at a meeting organized by the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association. Ward 3 Councillor Mxolisi Mahlangu confirmed that the engineering department is actively working on this issue.