Despite being declared the provincial capital of Matabeleland North 26 years ago, Lupane still lacks a sewer reticulation system or treatment plant, with all properties relying on communal septic tanks.
This revelation came on Friday during a tour by the parliamentary portfolio committee on local government, public works and national housing, when the Lupane Local Board engineer, Phillip Nguni, briefed the delegation.
Nguni told the committee, led by chairperson and Mazowe Central MP Maxmore Njanji, that only 403 houses under the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle project have sewer reticulation.
"Since this is a town which is new, the whole town does not have sewer infrastructure and a treatment plant. I think it's important information that as honourable members you should be aware of," Nguni said.
He indicated that the 403 properties, including 19 houses earmarked for civil servants, are connected to what he described as a "baffled reactor"—essentially a communal septic tank.
The project also includes water supply and road networks. Nguni said the local authority has since engaged the government to extend sewer infrastructure to the entire town.
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"We would like to thank the ministry and the government for this initiative, but above all, our wish is not only the 403 benefit, but the whole town with sewer infrastructure," he said.
"We have made presentations to our provincial minister and to our ministry".
Lupane was designated the provincial capital of Matabeleland North in 1999, taking over from Bulawayo, which had historically served as the administrative centre.
The Lupane Local Board was established in 2007 to oversee the town's development, but progress has been slow, with infrastructure lagging behind the status of a capital.
The town's population has grown steadily, yet basic services such as sewage systems, piped water for all residents, and all-weather roads remain underdeveloped.
The absence of a centralised sewer system poses public health risks, particularly in a town that hosts government offices, schools, and a growing number of businesses.
The Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle housing project, initiated under the previous administration, was one of several government efforts to provide affordable accommodation. However, it has only partially addressed the infrastructure deficit.
Committee chairperson Njanji said Parliament was in Lupane to conduct oversight on government housing projects in line with Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
"We have an oversight role as Parliament on ministries and their agencies, and we should also oversee expenditures and revenues of government agencies," Njanji said.
"We are here to verify reports from the ministry on human settlements. The government is committed to providing affordable houses to its citizens, and we are here to fulfil our mandatory obligations."
Lupane's infrastructure challenges reflect broader difficulties in developing new administrative centres in the country, where resource constraints and competing national priorities have often delayed critical projects.
Residents and local leaders have repeatedly called for accelerated investment to match the town's status as a provincial capital.