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Service delivery report for Kuwadzana communities
Harare Residents' Trust (HRT)
March 19, 2013

The Harare Residents Trust (HRT) Cases Officer, Ms Regina Bakuri and Harare East Community Coordinator, Mr. Wilmore Mativenga visited Kuwadzana communities in line with Harare Residents Trust objective number four of monitoring and auditing the performance of service providers so that they deliver quality and affordable services to the citizenry. Below we present our findings.

Water Supply

They experience water cuts in Kuwadzana 1- 7 although water is mostly readily available.

Refuse Collection

Residents said refuse is being collected especially in Kuwadzana Extension on Wednesday and Thursday every week. There are dumping sites which were identified in Kuwadzana Extension, for example some two hundred metres from Kuwadzana Extension clinic behind the water tank which supplies Kuwadzana Extension community. At Kuwadzana 4 and 2 Shopping Centres, there are huge dumping sites.

Roads

Kuwadzana 1 to 7 have got better roads than Kuwadzana Extension. Roads from Kuwadzana Extension are not named and they are in bad state. Most of the roads are gravelled and heavily potholed, increasing the burden of vehicle maintenance to motorists.

Electricity

Residents from these communities have access to electricity every day but when it is not available sometimes residents spend 3 to 8 hours per day without supplies. A resident, Mrs Moyo said they are now afraid of travelling any time after 7pm because of the darkness in the area. She said: “Vanotibhadharisa mari dzedu asi havagoni kutipa matower lights, people will be mugged at night.”

Health

All Kuwadzana Communities, including Kuwadzana Extension, Whitecliffe and Glenara areas rely on one clinic located at Kuwadzana 4 Shopping Centre. Construction of another health centre in Kuwadzana Extension has taken more than a decade, but now contractors are putting in their final touches. Benches were supplied for the waiting room. It remains unclear whether or not this clinic is the responsibility of the City of Harare or the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development. The Kuwadzana 4 Clinic has the East wing which is the outpatients and has eight nurses and two nurse aids and the West wing which is the post natal clinic, and has plus or minus 32 nurses. Mrs Magande is the sister in charge. She took over from Sister Nkatazo since the beginning of this year. The HRT Officers found a source which revealed that ambulance services at the clinic are given by City of Harare ambulances which charge $20.00. But when City of Harare ambulances are not available other private ambulances will come to ferry patients and they charge $30.00. The clinic daily attends to between 150 to 200 patients. The toilets inside the clinic were locked and patients were using the external toilets, where one of the men’s toilets is locked remaining with one and same situation was happening for the ladies toilets.

Schools

Kuwadzana communities have 10 schools, eight primary and two secondary schools. In Kuwadzana Extension there is no functional secondary school, forcing pupils from the area to seek places in Mufakose, Kuwadzana and Dzivarasekwa suburbs. A dysfunctional secondary school was constructed between 2002- 2004. It is not clear why it is not being used. Information received is that all schools were given authority by the District Officer Mrs Mbara to build their own tuck shops to stop pupils from buying from vendors who operate outside the school premises, by the gates.

Kuwadzana Metropolitan Police

Chief Superintendent Rufaro Chinyamakobvu of Kuwadzana said they looked after Harare City Council properties only. He said that they are responsible for monitoring the operations of illegal vendors within the Kuwadzana community. A lot of vendors in this community are regularly arrested by the Municipal Police who then surrender them to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) where they are either fined or taken to court. The HRT contends that vendors in the communities are poor residents who want to make an honest living by working but are being hindered by the municipal police, who have very little understanding of their responsibilities towards vendors. The HRT continues to urge the councillors to push for a policy that safeguards the poor members of society than to continuously be harassed and have their wares confiscated by the police. Designated points of selling have to be created to accommodate the vending community so that they continue with their revenue generation activities so that they are able to send their children to school buy food and meet other essential needs like rates and rentals.

Kuwadzana District Office: There are at least 12 880 housing units in Kuwadzana community.

Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority

Mr Sibalo, the manager of Kuwadzana station said residents needed to understand that the bylaws of the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) say that if one resident buys an electricity pole to be reconnected, all the residents along the road, street or lane shall benefit from the same pole, and the person who bought the pole shall be considered as a donor. He pleaded with the HRT to educate residents not to be selfish and try to contribute some money to those who would have used their money to buy electricity poles.

Zimbabwe Republic Police

In discussions with police officers at Kuwadzana 2 Shopping Centre, they said they wanted to serve the whole community in a professional manner, attending to all cases reported to them on time. The station is known as Kuwadzana Western South District which operates under Southerton Police Station District. Inspector Chiripanyanga said Harare South District covered Dzivarasekwa North, Marimba South, Marimba East and Marimba West. Their patrol area is from Kuwadzana 1 to 7 and Kuwadzana Extension and their boundary is Hymn Road and the railway line which covers Cold Comfort and Bulawayo Road. Their station covers Crowborough Phases 1 and 2, while Crowborough South is under Marimba Police Station. Inspector Chiripanyanga said that crimes which are mostly committed in Kuwadzana area are car theft, unlawfully entry, house breaking, among others. At night thieves are targeting households that leave their lights on, with some of the thieves confessing to the police that they target houses with lights on because it was easier to identify targeted items to steal. Residents were encouraged to make sure that their doors are locked, lights are put off and goods like television, radio and other small things are put somewhere where thieves cannot easily see them. At shopping centres where there are beer outlets, theft is also prevalent and also common assaults. Inspector Chiripanyanga said that they received at least 200- 230 cases per month. During the summer season, they record frequent rape cases because of footpaths that pass through maize fields. When the municipal police arrest vendors, they handed them over to them, they auction all their perishable food at low prices and the money goes to the State and not to police officers as is widely suspected by residents. He said if groceries have been taken from tuck shops, the police officers list all the products and send the list to the magistrates’ court and act upon his/her judgement after trial of the accused vendors. At times the magistrate will advise them to warn the resident not to do the vending again and return the goods, but at time he/she can Order the police to auction the goods.

Recommendations

The Department of Engineering Services should be engaged to repair roads in Kuwadzana Extension because most of the roads in this area are gravelled and heavily potholed roads. The Department of Amenities should regularly collect refuse and clear all the garbage heaps found at public places like shopping centres, and street corners to prevent the recurrent outbreak of typhoid in the community.

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