BCC favouring certain areas in water shedding programme

The Government has accused the Bulawayo City Council of mismanaging its water rationing programme, questioning why residents are only receiving water twice a week despite the city pumping significant volumes daily.

Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, raised the concerns during a tour of the Nyamandlovu aquifer, where he assessed progress on transformer installations by ZESA and reviewed the city's water supply status.

"You are pumping 90 to 100 megalitres per day against a maximum demand of 165 megalitres," said Dr Masuka. "That is about two-thirds of the required supply, yet residents are only getting water for two days a week."

The minister suggested that the distribution system was being manipulated, pointing to possible favouritism in how water was supplied. "It means there are people enjoying a 24-hour water supply all year round, while others receive water for just two days a week," he added.

His remarks echoed long-standing complaints from residents who say water distribution has been unfair, with some neighbourhoods claiming they have gone weeks without supplies.

City engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube and Future Water Supplies chairperson, Councillor Khalazani Ndlovu, defended the council, but Masuka maintained that the challenge was not water availability but poor distribution and ineffective monitoring.

Council minutes show officials acknowledging weaknesses in the reporting system. Councillor Mxolisi Mahlangu admitted that leak and burst pipe reports were not properly tracked, causing delays and confusion. Councillor Felix Madzana added that smaller feeder pipes were often neglected in favour of repairing mainline bursts, further fueling perceptions of inefficiency.

Despite pressure from the minister, Councillor Ndlovu insisted that the 130-hour water shedding schedule would continue, arguing that it was necessary to safeguard dam levels and long-term water security.

Residents, however, remain unconvinced. Many are now demanding accountability, with calls growing louder for the council to explain who is benefitting from round-the-clock water access while the majority struggle with chronic shortages.