The rainy season has once again laid bare Bulawayo’s long-standing infrastructure challenges, with residents raising alarm over flooding roads, blocked drainage systems, overgrown grass and open pits that have become serious safety hazards, particularly for children.
Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) chairperson Winos Dube said the situation had reached alarming levels, leaving residents who diligently pay service fees feeling “short-changed” by the city’s responsible authorities.
“What we are experiencing, especially during this time of rain, is really terrible,” Dube said in an interview.
“As residents who pay for services, we are very concerned.
“We feel let down one way or the other by the responsible authorities.”
According to Dube, at the centre of the crisis is a collapsed drainage system that has failed repeatedly over the years.
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He noted that even minimal rainfall now results in flooding in several suburbs, turning roads into waterways and residential areas into hazard zones.
“This is not the first time the drainage system has failed in Bulawayo,” he said.
“Every year, with just a few drops of rain, areas become flooded because the drainage system has totally collapsed.”
Dube attributed part of the problem to poor road maintenance, particularly potholes that are temporarily filled with sand.
During heavy rains, the sand is washed away into storm drains, blocking them and worsening flooding.
“What can stop storm drains from filling up when potholes are filled with sand?” he asked.
“That sand is washed into the drains, blocking them, and then we have floods that create a mess and put people’s lives at risk.”
Residents have also expressed concern over uncut grass and uncleared spaces, especially in western suburbs, which further compound the problem by obstructing water flow and reducing visibility on roads.
“Drive into the western suburbs and you will see uncut grass and neglected areas.
“One wonders what happened to the lawn mowers and grass cutters that council used to have,” Dube said before questioning whether the city council is failing to maintain its equipment or has relaxed its maintenance duties altogether.
Conditions at public spaces such as markets have also deteriorated, with litter piling up and drainage systems clogged with waste.
“The state of the market is worrying. Littering is too much. We are honestly running out of words to express how concerned we are,” Dube said.
Dube was quick to acknowledge that residents themselves also bear responsibility for the worsening conditions.
He urged residents to adopt responsible waste-disposal practices and take part in keeping their neighbourhoods clean.
“We cannot point fingers at council alone,” he said.
“As residents, we also have a role to play.
“We are the same people who litter the market or sweep rubbish into storm drains, which then block the drainage system.”
“At the end of the day, it is us residents who are affected. Council officials will continue earning their salaries, but we are the ones living with flooded homes and damaged roads.”
Dube also criticised the city’s approach to road repairs, describing the continued use of sand to fill potholes as ineffective and disappointing.
“We ask ourselves what kind of thinking is behind this system of leadership,” he said.
“The state of the roads is terrible, and we are very disappointed. There appears to be a total failure to address these issues.”