BCC cruel to its bedridden pensioner (98) who worked for council for 42 year

A 98-year-old former Bulawayo City Council (BCC) employee, Neban Nyalenda, has been without water since the start of the year after his supply was cut off due to an unpaid US$500 bill. The elderly pensioner, bedridden and living alone in Mzilikazi suburb, faces daily struggles, relying on borehole water and occasional support from neighbors who bring him safe drinking water and food.

Mr. Nyalenda, originally from Zambia, worked for BCC as a bioscope operator from 1952 until his retirement in 1994, serving the council for 42 years. Speaking from his single bed at 70 Thokozani Flats, Mr. Nyalenda described the difficulty of managing without running water.

"They came here early this year and knocked on the door, but because I am bedridden, I could not open it," Mr. Nyalenda explained. "The next thing I realized, there was no water coming out of my tap. The situation has been unbearable for me since then."

Mr. Nyalenda, a widower, has seven children, but only one lives with him, who is also unwell. The other children, he explained, are unable to provide regular support, citing their own financial obligations. Occasionally, one of his children, who lives in Gwanda, sends him mealie meal, but overall, he said, "life is hell for me."

After living in Mpopoma for many years, Mr. Nyalenda moved to Mzilikazi in 1980, where he maintained consistent payments to the council until recent years. His case highlights the challenges faced by vulnerable elderly residents, especially those on low or fixed incomes, who struggle with basic services due to unpaid bills.

Community members have called for BCC to consider humanitarian measures, particularly for elderly, bedridden pensioners like Mr. Nyalenda who have dedicated years to public service.

This is a developing story....