Coltart frustrated by Glassblock Dam delays

Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has expressed mounting frustration over the bureaucratic hurdles that are stalling the long-awaited Glassblock Dam project, a critical initiative aimed at ensuring a stable water supply for the city.

The proposed dam, which will be built on the Umzingwane River, is designed to hold 130 million cubic metres of water. It has been identified as a medium-term solution to Bulawayo's persistent water shortages and is expected to support rural industrialisation through irrigation.

Speaking to Southern Eye on Sunday, Coltart warned that without swift intervention from the central government, the project could face indefinite delays. He pointed out that although the city had made significant strides in identifying contractors and had secured US$93 million in indications of support at the African Investment Forum in Morocco last December, progress had slowed due to bureaucratic bottlenecks at the national level.

"We have made significant progress in identifying contractors and even secured indications of support worth US$93 million at the African Investment Forum in Morocco last December," Coltart explained. "But we now seem to be bogged down by bureaucracy in Harare, with agreements that need to be signed still pending, and necessary approvals not yet granted."

The Glassblock Dam, which is expected to cost an estimated US$100 million, is being developed under a build, operate, and transfer model over 25 years, with the government issuing the concession. Construction firm J R Goddard Contracting has been awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction contract.

Once completed, the dam is expected to increase water inflows to Bulawayo by 70%. However, this will also require the construction of a 32-kilometre pipeline to pump water from the dam to the Ncema Reservoir, which itself requires rehabilitation to ensure an efficient pumping system.

Coltart also highlighted that while the Glassblock Dam is a priority for the city council, the broader investment climate in Zimbabwe remains a significant obstacle to Bulawayo's development. "Fundamentally, the major problem is that we are located in Zimbabwe, where the investment climate is generally unfavourable," he said. "We are trying to make Bulawayo more attractive, but we have hurdles - ensuring a secure source of water, cleaning up our sewage plants, and restoring order in the city."

Additionally, Coltart lamented the deteriorating state of roads and traffic congestion in Bulawayo, calling for urgent attention to these ongoing challenges. "Unless we get those fundamentals right, the city will remain an unattractive destination irrespective of the national climate," he added.

The Glassblock Dam project is part of a broader strategy to address Bulawayo's water crisis, which has been exacerbated by delayed infrastructure projects such as the Gwayi-Shangani Dam. Initially proposed in 1912, the Gwayi-Shangani Dam has faced significant delays in its completion, further adding to the urgency of alternative solutions like Glassblock.

At a meeting with the then Local Government Minister Winston Chitando on March 7, 2024, Bulawayo city council indicated that it plans to complete construction of the Glassblock Dam by 2027, provided the necessary approvals are granted in time.

Coltart also cited delays at the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe as a major hindrance to the city's development. He noted that basic expenditure approvals were taking more than six months, making it difficult for the council to operate efficiently. "These delays affect our ability to function efficiently. We can have revenues coming in, but if we can't spend them due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, progress stalls," he said.

As the Glassblock Dam project continues to face delays, Bulawayo residents and businesses are left anxiously awaiting a solution to the city's water challenges, hoping that the government will act quickly to remove the bureaucratic obstacles standing in the way of progress.