Water barons exploit Bulawayo's deepening water crisis

Unscrupulous individuals in Bulawayo are taking advantage of the city's worsening water crisis by selling scarce water at high prices and charging extra fees for delivery to desperate residents unable to reach water points.

The city is currently enduring one of its most severe water shortages in recent years. Bulawayo City Council continues to enforce a stringent 130-hour water shedding schedule introduced last year, with indications that restrictions may tighten further as water supplies dwindle.

Compounding the crisis is the city's aging and obsolete water infrastructure, which has led to frequent pipe bursts, leaving some suburbs without water for extended periods while repairs are underway.

Last week, the council revealed that 30 suburbs would go without water for over a week due to delays in sourcing materials to fix a burst pipeline connecting Criterion to the Magwegwe Reservoir.

Most residents now depend on council bowsers and boreholes for their water needs - a gap that water barons have eagerly exploited.

Investigations by Zimpapers found that these water barons charge US$1 for four buckets of water, with an additional US$1 charged for delivery services. Their operations are prominent in suburbs such as Pumula, Nkulumane, Luveve, and Cowdray Park.

Several residents interviewed expressed frustration over the high costs and the impact on their daily lives.

Nkulumane resident Thamsanqa Khumalo said the water barons' fees have forced families to adopt strict water-saving measures, often at the expense of hygiene and health.

"These water barons take advantage of the fact that most of us are at work during the day and cannot queue for water. But charging US$1 for four buckets-or sometimes only three-is just too high. I used to do laundry three times a week; now I have to ration every bucket carefully because I cannot always afford to buy water," Khumalo said.

"It's hard to live with limited water - dirty clothes pile up for weeks, and we sometimes have only a quarter bucket for bathing or none at all for toilets."

In Luveve, residents noted the crisis has hit senior citizens especially hard, as many elderly live alone and depend on others to fetch water.

Miss Nomagugu Ndlovu, who helps collect water for some elderly residents, condemned the water barons' exploitation.

"It's unfair to charge these old people, many of whom have no income or family support," Ndlovu said.

The water shortage has also severely affected Entembeni Old People's Home in Luveve, which has resorted to using borehole water.

A staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, warned that unreliable water supplies hamper the home's ability to maintain hygiene and provide proper care.

"We need to change blankets often-sometimes twice daily-and ensure good hygiene, which is very difficult without steady water," she said.

Local businesses reliant on water have also suffered. Nkulumane car wash worker Timothy Dhliwayo said they have been forced to turn away customers due to water shortages.

"This crisis has caught us off guard. It has lasted for three weeks now, and we are struggling to cope," Dhliwayo said.

Bulawayo United Residents' Association (BURA) chairperson Winos Dube criticized city councillors for their handling of the crisis.

"Residents have lost faith in the local authority. There are worrying reports that some council-linked individuals might be tampering with pipes to boost private water delivery businesses," Dube said.

"How do they keep missing deadlines? Are we getting honest updates, or are they simply unprepared?"

With no immediate relief in sight, residents of Bulawayo continue to grapple with escalating water costs, rationing, and deteriorating living conditions as the city's water crisis deepens.