HARARE’S sewage crisis is getting worse amid allegations that some council workers are demanding bribes to attend to burst sewage pipes, as the capital battles recurring cholera outbreaks linked to failing sanitation systems.
The crisis comes at a time when Harare is grappling with a severe public health emergency driven by collapsed water and sewage infrastructure, with raw sewage spilling into residential areas and contaminating water sources in high-density suburbs such as Glen View and Budiriro. Several sewer bursts have reportedly remained unattended for weeks, according to a NewsDay survey.
Residents groups say the breakdown in service delivery, coupled with alleged corruption within the water department, is worsening the sanitation crisis and raising fears of a major cholera outbreak if action is not taken urgently.
Harare Residents Trust executive director Precious Shumba said affected residents were being asked to pay bribes before repairs were carried out.
“Reports of sewer bursts have not been attended to; council's responsiveness is after five days and when they come, they don't do much,” he said. “The workers in the water department have become the most corrupt workers at Harare City Council; they are demanding at least US$5 per household to attend to a sewer burst. The whole system has been corrupted.”
Shumba urged government intervention, warning that the situation can deteriorate if left unchecked.
Combined Harare Residents Association director Rueben Akili called for the arrest of corrupt municipal workers.
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“We are aware that some council workers from the water department, which is now one of the most corrupt, are demanding money to attend to sewer bursts and water leakages,” Akili said.
Harare mayor Jacob Mafume said bribery was not council policy, adding that investigations were underway.
“It is not council policy to demand bribes and we are investigating the matter. We will come back to you,” he said.
Cholera has become endemic in Harare, driven largely by poor sanitation infrastructure and limited access to clean water, particularly in densely populated suburbs.
