Bulawayo City Council is grappling with a major infrastructure delivery crisis, with 28 of its 102 active contracts behind schedule, including seven non-performing projects that have ended up in arbitration, price variation disputes or site abandonment.
The situation is affecting critical sewer, housing and public works projects, while several home seekers are being forced to pay additional fees towards the servicing of residential stands.
According to official minutes of the finance and development committee meeting held on August 25, 2026, the city had 102 active contracts at the beginning of July, but only 74 were progressing within agreed timelines.
Several major projects have been caught up in protracted disputes between the council and contractors.
The council reported that “rehabilitation of the Deep Section Tunnel Sewer was under arbitration due to long-standing disputes between the contractor and the City of Bulawayo.”
“The servicing of 390 high-density residential stands in Magwegwe West had been under arbitration for an extended period,” the report added.
“The Beit Hall refurbishment had been suspended after disagreements over price variation requests.
“The contractor had abandoned the site, and the city was working to have the project formally handed over in its current state.”
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The delays have also hit housing developments, with beneficiaries of municipal projects being required to contribute additional money towards servicing works.
Affected developments include 288 high-density stands in Magwegwe Extension, 502 medium-density stands in Emhlangeni Phase II, as well as stands in Woodville and Paddonhurst.
The council said procurement of essential development materials would only commence “once sufficient funds were collected” from affected residents.
This has left some stand owners in unserviced areas while they continue shouldering additional costs to get basic infrastructure installed.
The project delays come as Bulawayo battles deteriorating infrastructure and financial pressures that have affected service delivery.
The city’s water and sanitation network has been particularly affected, with ageing infrastructure, frequent pipe bursts and failing sewer trunk lines contributing to water losses and sewage spills in high-density suburbs.
The council is also facing disputes with contractors over rising project costs, with inflationary pressures and supply chain disruptions increasing the cost of construction and other materials.
Contractors have consequently sought variations to contract prices to reflect increased operational costs, while some projects have become embroiled in lengthy disputes and arbitration.
The stalled projects leave residents waiting for basic infrastructure such as roads, water connections and functional sewer systems, while the council seeks ways to unlock projects that have fallen behind schedule.
