Mbundane residents lament service delivery challenges

Residents of Mbundane suburb in Bulawayo are petitioning various government arms over failure by responsible authorities to provide them with proper service delivery in their area for over 10 years.

The area that is within the 40km radius of Bulawayo but falling under the Umguza Rural District Council has seen residents going for over a decade without a proper road network, water, sewer system and electricity.

The residents say they feel neglected and left out, hence their petitions to the member of parliament for Umguza constituency, Dr Obert Mpofu, Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Saviour Kasukuwere, Minister of State for Bulawayo Metropolitan province, Eunice Sandi Moyo, Umguza Rural District Council and the Bulawayo City Council.

Due to the unavailability of water and sewer systems, the residents have resorted to digging up blair toilets and boreholes for water supplies.

Land developer for the area Mr Mehluleli Khumalo speaking from South Africa told the ZBC News that development was stalled due to a lack of agreement between Bulawayo City Council and Umguza RDC for the suburb to be co-opted to the Bulawayo local authority.

Spirited efforts to contact the Umguza RDC chief executive officer Mr Collen Moyo on the matter were fruitless as his number was not going through.

He further stated that according to his permit of 24 July 2006, the Bulawayo City Council was to provide water and sewer but due to whatever reason the deal fell through.

It is believed that Umguza RDC refused to release the suburb to Bulawayo yet it does not have the capacity to provide services to the families in the 2 500 stands in the area as evidenced by the fact that up to date they were yet to inspect the suburb for any progress to take place.

The situation in Mbundane brings to question the sincerity of responsible authorities in fighting epidemics and diseases in their areas, especially with cases of typhoid that have continually been reported.