Collapsed footbridge cuts off key route for Bulawayo residents

Residents and informal traders in Bulawayo's Thorngrove and Nguboyenja suburbs are calling on the city council to urgently repair a footbridge that collapsed nearly eight months ago, warning that it has become a serious safety hazard for schoolchildren, commuters and local businesses.

The bridge, located behind Burombo Beerhall and linking surrounding suburbs with Renkini Business Centre and the city centre, has remained unusable since it gave way during the 2025 rainy season. Since then, pedestrians have been forced to cross using makeshift poles or take a much longer alternative route.

Resident Wiseman Siziba said the bridge serves hundreds of people every day.

"This bridge has been dysfunctional since November last year during the rainy season. Many people use this path because it is a shortcut to town, while schoolchildren also rely on it every day," he said.

Siziba said the situation was made worse by raw sewage flowing beneath the collapsed structure, creating a significant health risk.

"The water exposed here is sewer water and it flows in huge volumes. Just the other day we found a young girl searching through the overgrown reeds after losing a R5 coin. We had to give her another coin so that she could stop searching and go home," he said.

Local trader Silas Shoko said business owners had improvised by placing two poles across the damaged section to help pedestrians cross.

"The bridge has been dysfunctional for a long time. We came together as a small group of business people and managed to put two poles where the bridge collapsed. It is not entirely safe, but it has helped people cross," he said.

He added that traders who previously transported goods using scotch carts across the bridge were now forced to carry them by hand, increasing costs and reducing productivity.

Another trader, who identified himself only as Mr Dube, said the damaged bridge was affecting customer traffic.

"Our clients are now using the longer route. Some end up going straight to town instead of coming here for our services. The earlier this bridge is fixed, the sooner our businesses can return to normal," he said.

Parents have also expressed concern over the safety of children using the crossing.

Resident Madeira Taruvinga said many parents now escort their children to and from school each day.

"We accompany our children to school every morning and fetch them again in the afternoon because this path is no longer safe. Imagine trying to cross with a child on your back and falling into dirty sewer water. Sometimes we are forced to use the pipe underneath, but we fear slipping into the water," she said.

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association executive secretary and Renkini Business Community chairperson Thabani Ndlovu described the bridge as a vital link for both residents and businesses.

"We also have schoolchildren who use this footbridge every day. Having it out of service is a huge setback. Although there is a makeshift crossing, it is not safe enough for the people using it," he said.

Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu said the local authority was aware of the problem and had prioritised repairs through the Ward Retention Fund.

"We are aware of the challenges faced by both residents and the business community due to the collapse of the bridge. The bridge falls on the border of Wards Seven and Eight. Under our ward we made an application to have the Ward Retention Fund used to rehabilitate the bridge," he said.

He explained that the bridge collapsed after procurement for the 2025 projects had already been completed, delaying the allocation of funds for repairs.

"We therefore prioritised it for the 2026 projects. It is just that sometimes the process may take long to complete, about four months or so. But the residents are assured that efforts to fix it are in progress," he said.