Coltart prepares BCC engineering department for privatisation?

BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has unbundled its engineering services department and created a stand-alone water utility department in a move aimed at improving efficiency in the management of the city's water and sanitation services.

The local authority also set aside a US$17 million transition budget for the migration.
BCC said it will work with a Netherlands-based organisation, VEI and other partners to mobilise the transition budget.

Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor David Coltart, said the creation of the water utility will ensure efficiency in the management of water and sanitation services in the city, reduce bureaucracy in decision-making, enhance operational efficiency and decision-making processes.

He said it will also improve the capacity for the local authority to access loans for water and sanitation infrastructure and strengthen water and sanitation systems by addressing barriers in the capacities, behaviours, policies, processes and service delivery models.

The move to create a stand-alone utility department was reached after a council meeting held on February 7 this year.

The councillors resolved to unbundle the engineering services into two departments, which are the works department and the water and sanitation department.

During the February meeting council further resolved that the water and sanitation department be established within the first quarter of 2024 and allocated the support services.

Clr Coltart said they will facilitate benchmarking visits to learn from successful water utilities and approve and identify resources for the turnaround budget.

He said in line with the resolution to establish a Strategic Business Unit (SBU), the council at its meeting on May 8, 2024, also resolved that the Independent Change Management appoint an independent change/transition manager by June 2024 to initiate the transformation.

He said council resolved to establish a technical team to collaborate with the transition manager and to develop and implement a comprehensive stakeholder communication plan for managing change effectively.

Clr Coltart said the May meeting also resolved to urgently appoint and second crucial support staff to ensure the water and sanitation department's proper functioning, including a transport management procurement manager, ICT officer and human capital point person and to foster a new working culture within the utility that prioritises innovation, customer care and efficiency.

"In line with the council resolution of May 2024, a utility transition manager was appointed on the 30 July 2024 supported by VEI to guide the transition," said Clr Coltart.

He, however, did not name the manager but the Chronicle understands that Mr Germain Bakker has been appointed to the position.

VEI is an initiative of seven Dutch water operators that are committed to Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) of the United Nations: sustainable water and sanitation for everyone.

"The City of Bulawayo team, with the transition manager, are presently working on an action plan which will guide the transition process to a water utility as per the council resolution.

"The action plan involves a comprehensive stakeholder engagement plan which also outlines the council's engagement with internal and external stakeholders in this process," said Clr Coltart.