BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has rolled out the 2025 budget review consultations with stakeholders calling on the local authority to take seriously the input of residents.
Town clerk Christopher Dube said the consultations would run until the end of the month.
Bulawayo-based development practitioner Thembelani Dube said residents’ input should be considered to address the service delivery challenges they face.
“The meetings must not be a formality, they should be ward centred as residents are key stakeholders of the city’s budget,” he said.
“The aim of the budget is to address the needs per each ward with the objective of meeting certain targets because there are no blanket priorities.”
Dube said residents should not be used to rubber-stamp decisions taken by council.
“There should be indicators and time-lines being adhered to with specifics to say if it is the roads that are done, residents expect to hear the names of the roads, the kilometres covered and the time-frame for the work to be completed,” he said.
“The perception of the residents now is that when they go to these meetings the issues they raise are not considered.”
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Ward 26 councillor Mpumelelo Moyo, who is also council finance and development committee chairperson, urged residents to participate in budget review consultations.
“Consultation is one of our motos in the city,” he said.
“We practise it and make sure that we work hand in glove with the residents as they are meant to give a guide as to how their finances should be used and their priorities.”
