Efforts to restore Harare’s Sunshine City status should be anchored on water provision among other service delivery issue in the capital, the Zimbabwe Nationa Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART) has said.
In an interview, the National Chairperson of ZNOART, Shalvar Chikomba beamoned the failure by the Harare City Council to provide water and rehabilitate water infrastructure over the years.
He said that the initiative to install prepaid meters and rehabilitate water infrastructure in Harare was a welcome move that would result in improved service delivery.
A local firm, Helcraw Electrical has been contracted to install prepaid water meters in Harare with the first phase starting in Warren Park, Westlea and Avondale.
“As residents, we are saying that this initiative was long overdue and we thank the Ministry of Local Government for this intervention. I am sure the responsible authorities will live to their promise of rolling out this project across Zimbabwe because residents are tired of paying for services which they are not being given.
“I am also sure this intervention will solve a lot of issues which residents were raising over the years. We really appreciate and welcome this move and we want this to be done as soon as possible.
“We understand that Helcraw will refurbish the water infrastructure to avoid loss of treated water and if this is addressed we hope that water provision in greater Harare will improve . This is in line with our dream of restoring Harare’s sunshine city status,” said Chikomba.
Over the years, Harare has experienced a severe water crisis with some areas such as Mabvuku going for decades without tape water- yet council continued to bill them for a service not rendered.
“We haven’t had water for a long time in some suburbs. In short, we can say council has failed to provide water in some suburbs yet council was sending bills which are estimates and we were made to pay for a service which they were failing to deliver and the coming in of the prepaid water meters is welcome and we will be able to pay for water that we will have consumed . I am sure that’s the best for us as residents,” said Chikomba.
Helcraw Chief Executive Officer, Brendon Jere, is on record that the prepaid water meter project and rehabilitation of water infrastructure is part of efforts to ensure sustainable water provision for Harare residents.
Local Government Minister, Daniel Garwe says the project represents the commitment of the Second Republic to.improved service delivery in urban local authorities.
