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Kuwadzana Residents' Phase 3 service delivery update
Harare Residents' Trust (HRT)
April 26, 2012

Introduction

Residents of Kuwadzana Phase 3 have expressed disappointment with the performance of the police, the City of Harare and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA). This emerged during a community focus group discussion held in the area. This meeting was organised by the HRT residents' committee for the area, in line with the one of the organisation's objectives of monitoring and evaluating service delivery by service providers. This is in line with the Strategic Priorities of the HRT chief among them: To build a solid base of concerned residents in Harare Metropolitan Province who are united for their welfare at community level and to build the capacity of residents of Harare to lobby and advocate for quality and affordable services to their communities. This sets the agenda of the HRT from 2011 to 2016. This update is being done by the HRT in the interest of the public. To subscribe for HRT updates, please write Subscribe in the Subject line and to Unsubscribe, write Unsubscribe in the Subject line. The issues raised are detailed below:

1. Water supplies: Water supplies are inadequate. Residents queue at borehole points to fetch water for domestic use. Mostly women and children are seen at long winding never ending queues in an effort to fetch water. There are currently four boreholes in the community. Three were drilled using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). Another borehole was drilled by UNICEF as an emergency response to the water demand and supply situation in Harare and is stationed at Fundo Primary School. To address the water situation residents urged the City of Harare to increase its pumping capacity and purify the water to be safe for drinking. The area has experienced typhoid and cholera outbreaks. From their view, three more boreholes are required to augment the water situation because the existing ones are overwhelmed. Residents said that they prefer borehole water because it is safer than drink the City water as it has visible particles and has a brownish colour.

2. Refuse Collection: refuse collection is inconsistent in the area. Refuse should be collected on Wednesdays but since the beginning of April the City of Harare only collected refuse on Wednesday 25 April 2012, yet they charge for four collections a month.

3. Rentals and Accommodation: The area has high rental costs for tenants per month. One room is being charged $80.00 including electricity and water charges. Regardless of the erratic water and power supplies, landlords still require rates for these services because council and ZESA continue to charge them for undelivered services. Outside the rentals, a tenant is required to pay additional money for toiletries such as harpic and tissues. They are supposed to pay an additional $10.00 per month as part of the household maintenance fees called duty. This includes tasks such as cleaning the toilets and sweeping the yards. Bachelors at the meeting expressed concern about this because they cannot perform such chores and hence are required to pay women who can do it for them. This has also become a source of survival for unemployed women in the community. A major concern for the lodgers in the area is that some of the property owners do not pay their rentals to the City of Harare and ZESA resulting in huge unsettled bills. Lodgers have no responsibility of settling outstanding bills by their land lords. They should only pay for the current rates, while the property owner has to find means to settle their bills.

4. Drainage system: The drainage system is blocked due to continuous erosion of the un-tarred and gravelled roads in the community, and the situation is worse during the rainy season. Poor waste management practices have also contributed to blockages along the drainage system, as uncollected garbage piles alongside roads and subsequently blocks the drainages. Residents fear floods during downpours. Residents urged the council to clear all drainage in the area.

5. Road network: The roads here remain with no names, and they are heavily potholed. Council usually fills the potholes with gravel which is easily washed away into the drainage system. Unused gravel for pothole filling is left by the roadside, blocking part of the roads, inconveniencing motorists and pedestrians as they pass through such blocked roads.

6. Education system: Local schools charge pupils $1.00 for teachers' incentives, which the parents want removed. The residents argued that it was government's responsibility to remunerate its employees, including teachers.

7. Sewerage Reticulation system: Sewerage pipes were replaced in the community which has reduced incidences of bursts. They indicated that council should be commended for replacing the sewer pipes in 2009. In cases where there are sewerage chokes, the City of Harare response team is quick, efficient and effective.

8. Police: Residents expressed relief at the transfer of a police officer who had gained notoriety for using terror tactics on vendors and tuck shop owners in the area. He was only identified as Kedha, an albino. They accused this policeman of bring corrupt, aggressive and unsympathetic to residents. Vendors were charged for illegal activities, had their wares confiscated, and subsequently paid huge fines, but their wares would be sold to residents in the community by the police who allegedly pocketed the proceeds. The reign of terror by the police officer had affected Tynwald, Dzivarasekwa, Kuwadzana and surrounding localities. The policeman has since been removed from Dzivarasekwa to an unknown police station.

9. Power Supplies: Estimated billing by ZESA has eroded the little confidence left in the national power utility. Residents are convinced this estimated billing is being manipulated by corrupt officials in ZESA. Residents have huge outstanding debts which resulted in massive power disconnections in previous weeks. Residents said they will not settle debts based on estimates but will only pay for accurate readings. They vowed to resist any further power disconnections, saying ZESA has stretched their patience for too long. To address the situation residents said that they prefer the prepaid meter system. Some prepaid subscribers pay as low as $10.00 per month for electricity. They demanded that prepaid meters be installed for all households, without undue delays.

10. Representation by Councillor: Ward 45 Councillor Girisoti Mandere said the poor state of service delivery is largely attributed to the political situation in council, where some city managers and other appointees are frustrating efforts by the elected councillors. He cited the delays in repairing burst water pipes. The councillor promised residents that the road network is set to be improved. He said that councillors are only allowed one feedback meeting per month in their wards. Given that they are political leaders, this has discouraged most residents from participating. He commended the HRT for being in the communities to help council and residents on service delivery issues.

11. Mass Demonstrations: Residents indicated that if service delivery did not improve they would organise demonstrations against the offending service provider.

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