Bulawayo City Council’s debt crisis is deepening, with the city’s debtors’ book surging past ZWG2,5 billion in just one month exposing a widening gap between revenue collection and service delivery demands.
Latest figures presented by chairperson of the finance and development committee Mpumelelo Moyo show that total debt rose from ZWG2 477 247 004 on February 28, 2026 to ZWG2 523 446 193 as at March 31, 2026 a jump of more than ZWG46 million in 31 days.
Domestic consumers account for the bulk of the arrears at ZWG1 786 459 893, representing 70% of the total debt.
Industrial and commercial users owe ZWG571 647 544, while government debt stands at ZWG165 338 755.
The figures place households at the centre of the city’s revenue crisis, raising questions about sustainability as Bulawayo struggles to finance essential services for its 138 996 metered connections.
Moyo, who is also the ward 26 councillor, warned that the numbers were not just accounting figures, but a direct reflection of the city’s shrinking capacity to function.
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“Cash flows are a life blood for every institution and as a city we are dependent on our revenue collection to provide adequate service delivery,” he said.
The councillor said the rising debt was already translating into delayed responses to critical issues such as water pipe bursts, sewer blockages and road rehabilitation all of which require consistent funding.
“With over ZWG 2 billion owed to the city of Bulawayo by its residents it becomes a challenge for the city to address in time some of the challenges including clean water pipe bursts and sewer chokes and other related service delivery issues that the City is mandated to provide,” Moyo said.
He stressed that service provision from water treatment chemicals and bulk water purchases to refuse collection and road maintenance was entirely dependent on revenue inflows.
“We provide solid waste management to our residents that cost the city money, we provide clean running water though on weekly shaded days that cost money on chemicals, cost for water purchased for Zinwa, cost on repairs of water pipe bursts,” he said.
Despite acknowledging economic pressures, Moyo pointed to a mismatch between spending patterns and municipal obligations, arguing that non-payment is compounding the crisis.
“We need a serious culture change and priorities prompt payments of bills as residents bearing in mind, we are the ones who fund the service delivery,” he said.
He warned that without urgent intervention; the trajectory of the debtors’ book could outpace the city’s ability to maintain its ageing infrastructure.
“We are faced with aging infrastructure as a city and we need strong financing to keep up with the infrastructure otherwise we run the risk of a collapsed infrastructure going into the future hence this plea with the residents to pay up the bills,” Moyo said.
The city has urged residents to enter payment plans and utilise newly introduced online platforms.
However, the latest figures suggest that without a significant shift in payment behaviour, Bulawayo’s financial position and its service delivery capacity will continue to deteriorate.