Bulawayo Ward 26 Emganwini councillor Mpumelelo Moyo has urged residents to settle outstanding municipal bills, warning that the city’s ballooning debtors’ book is threatening service delivery.
Moyo, who is also chairperson of the City of Bulawayo’s Finance and Development Committee, said unpaid bills were placing severe strain on council finances.
He told Southern Eye that total debtors rose from ZiG2 477 247 004 on February 28, 2026 to ZiG2 523 446 193 as of March 31, 2026.
“Domestic debtors make up 70% of the total debtors,” Moyo said.
He said government debtors stood at ZiG165 338 755, industrial and commercial debtors at ZiG571 647 544, while domestic debtors accounted for ZiG1 786 459 893.
Moyo said Bulawayo has 138 996 installed meters and relies heavily on revenue collection to maintain essential services.
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“Cash flows are the lifeblood of every institution and, as a city, we depend on revenue collection to provide adequate service delivery,” he said.
“We provide solid waste management, clean running water, chemicals for water treatment, payments for water purchased from ZINWA, and repairs to burst water pipes. All these services cost money.”
He said council also faced rising costs in repairing roads damaged during the recent rainy season.
“Our roads are in a bad state and were worsened by the good rains we received. They need millions of dollars to be fixed,” he said.
Moyo appealed to residents to work with council by paying bills promptly or entering payment plans.
“Adequate service delivery is what residents expect, but the city also requires revenue from residents to provide those services. It is a give-and-take situation,” he said.
He warned that with more than ZiG2 billion owed to council, it had become difficult to respond quickly to burst water pipes, sewer blockages and other service delivery challenges.
“As chairperson of the Finance and Development Committee, we urge residents to pay their bills to equip the city with the much-needed financial resources that will enable council to provide adequate service delivery,” Moyo said.
He acknowledged the financial difficulties facing some households and encouraged residents to approach council to arrange manageable payment plans.
Moyo also called for a culture of prompt bill payments and said council had introduced online payment platforms to allow residents to pay from the comfort of their homes.