Residents fume over sewage

News
OLD LUVEVE residents have condemned the Bulawayo City Council for failing to attend to burst sewage pipes resulting in raw sewage flowing into their homes

OLD LUVEVE residents have condemned the Bulawayo City Council for failing to attend to burst sewage pipes that resulted in raw sewage flowing into their homes for close to two weeks.

LINDA CHINOBVA OWN CORRESPONDENT

The residents said despite repeated efforts to notify council of the burst sewer pipes, the problem had not been attended to for almost two weeks until last Monday.

“It is very disheartening that council can be this useless that we cannot depend on it whenever we have problems that need their intervention,” a furious resident Sibongile Banda, whose house was flooded by raw sewage, said.

“Council is only visible when they are disconnecting water, but they are very passive when we need their services.

“We have always appealed for development in the city, but how do we develop when our agents for development are letting us down?” Banda said.

Fani Mutodza, whose family was also affected by the sewage, said council referred them to the police when they asked them to attend to burst sewers.

“It is the council’s duty to attend to such problems and I do not understand why we would be referred to the police. It simply means they do not have the people at heart and if it is so, they must resign,” Mutodza said.

Kudzai Makumbe, in whose yard the main sewer that burst is located, said she personally called council more than 10 times and was told that they had a tight schedule.

Councillor for Ward 15 in Luveve, Tamani Moyo, said council must not neglect its duties as it is not a privilege for residents to be assisted, but a right.

The Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association organising secretary Ambrose Sibindi said council had in the past made it clear that it attended to problems within 24 hours and hence it must adhere to that.

“Council must stick to its objectives and attend to problems, especially those that affect people directly. It must ensure that it provides quality service to the public in the same manner that it is particular about debt payments,” Sibindi said.