The City of Bulawayo’s high-stakes transition toward a private-sector-led water model descended into unprecedented chaos recently, as a full council meeting erupted in violence over the composition of the newly proposed Bulawayo Water and Sanitation Utility board.
What was meant to be a decisive step in addressing the city’s critical water crisis instead became a battleground for factional politics, leaving the mayor and deputy mayor under physical threat.
The tension centres on the registration of a new utility company, a move triggered by an urgent March 19, 2026, mandate from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
While the government and strategic partners such as Helcraw Water are pushing for rapid participation to fix the dry taps, the sticking point remains who will lead during the critical three-month transitional period.
Earlier, council’s general purpose (GP) committee — comprising the mayor David Coltart, his deputy Edwin Ndlovu, and committee chairpersons — had reached a progressive compromise.
Recognising that residents are “up in arms” over poor service delivery, the GP committee resolved to include elected representatives on the seven-member temporary board.
Chamber secretary Sikhangele Zhou specifically recommended that councillor Khalazani Ndlovu, chairperson of the future water supplies and water action committee, and councillor Royan Sekete, chairperson of the environmental management and engineering services committee, be appointed to the board to ensure public accountability.
The remaining seats were to be split between three management officials — Zhou, Ephraim Ncube, and Nesisa Mpofu — and two outsiders nominated by Bura and BPRA.
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However, when these recommendations reached the full council on April 1, the chambers turned into a “war zone.”
A faction of councillors led by Ward 9 councillor Donaldson Mabutho and Ward 5 councillor Nkosilathi Hove rejected the inclusion of elected councillors and residents’ representatives.
Witnesses described a harrowing scene as the Mabutho-led group charged toward Coltart and his deputy attempting to physically confront them.
The situation only stabilised when Ward 28 ouncillor Ntando Ndlovu and Ward 22 councillor Mmeli Moyo intervened, leading a section of councillors to restrain the aggressors and restore a fragile order.
After the chaos, Coltart was forced to eject both the deputy mayor and the “ringleader”, Mabutho, from the chambers.
The council ultimately passed an unpopular resolution: the temporary board will now comprise only council workers, effectively stripping residents of elected oversight.
Social analyst Thabo Nyoni condemned the move.
“This is a dark day for civic participation in Bulawayo,” Nyoni said.
“By purging elected officials from this board, this factional crew led by Mabutho has effectively gagged the residents, leaving the most vital resource in the hands of the very management the public no longer trusts.”
Political analyst Mandla Dube echoed similar sentiments.
“By rejecting a representative board through violence, these leaders have ensured that accountability is sacrificed at the altar of political control, leaving the water utility as a hollow vessel for their own interests.”
The deputy mayor declined to comment on the incident when contacted.
