Women and Civil Society Organisations reject Bulawayo City Council’s proposed 216% tariff increase

Women and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have rejected Bulawayo City Council’s (BCC) projected tariff increase of 216% in the proposed 2022 budget. Women and CSOs attending the consultation meetings highlighted that this increase was beyond the reach of citizens especially in the current economic turmoil that the country is faced with.
The tariff increase was presented by City of Bulawayo in its 2022 Budget Consultation meetings which ran from the 26th to the 30th of September 2021. The aim of the consultation meetings was to review the 2021 budget performance and present the 2022 proposed Budget. The consultations were conducted both virtually and physically.
Presenting the 2021 Budget Performance review for 6 months, during the women’s budget consultation, Audrey Manyemwe the BCC’s Gender Focal Person highlighted the 2021 budget priorities as well as the budget implementation context.
“The 2021 Budget priorities were water, health, sewerage, housing, roads, education, public lighting, social services, fire and ambulances in that order of priority.
During the first six months, prices of basic goods continued increasing but at a reduced pace, water supply improved with dams over 60% full at the beginning of the year, the exchange rate also remained stable and council also received central government support through devolution funds. All these factors improved service delivery for the city. However, COVID-19 remained a major challenge for the city especially on the health department,” explained Manyemwe.
Manyemwe went on to highlight that as at 31 August 2021, the City of Bulawayo had received a total of ZWL63,538,502.37 in Devolution Funds and had utilised a total of ZWL 43,731,728.50. She highlighted that some of these funds were utilised on water supply, roads, sanitation, education and health.
Thandekile Mlilo a representative from the Council’s finance department who presented the Bulawayo City Council 2022 Proposed Budget highlighted the priorities as follows: water, health, sewerage, housing, roads, education, public lighting, social services, fire and ambulances.
“The Projected Average Tariff Increase for the 2022 budget is 216%. The total 2022 Budget is 24,741,154,503 ZWL with revenue budget at 16,834,864,215 ZWL and the capital budget at 7,906,290,288 ZWL.
“Water as a top priority will be allocated Z $ 1. 1 6 4 billion which will cover projects such as domestic water meter replacements, water mains upgrading (main pipe lines) and rehabilitation of the Criterion Water Treatment Plant.
“Health which is the second priority will be allocated Z $ 1. 2 0 7 billion and this will cover projects which include construction of two Clinics in Cowdray Park and Emganwini, provision of primary health care and disease prevention and acquisition of drugs and health equipment,” explained Mlilo.
In response to the proposed tariff increase of 216 %, Tabeth Mhizha who was in attendance lamented this hike as she implored the local authority to take into account the current economic situation.
“As it stands unemployment rates are high in the city and most women have resorted to informal trading which does not generate enough income. The retirement packages of older women are also not sufficient to cover these rates hikes,” lamented Mhizha
Consoletta Mguni who was also in attendance raised the same sentiments as she called upon the local authority to be people oriented.
“When we look at the state of service delivery in Bulawayo, it is not satisfactory. Residents are going for days on end without water, burst sewer pipes are not attended to on time and the roads are death traps. We call upon the local authority to address these challenges before imposing exorbitant rates on residents,” said Mguni.
Juliet Samson a Devolution Champion commended the local authority on the use of devolution funds in the construction of Vulindlela Primary School in Cowdray park and the upgrade of Thorngroove hospital. She however said that there is need for a breakdown of how much of these funds were utilised so as to create accountability.
The local authority also held a virtual budget consultation with NGOs, CSOs and churches where the same sentiments were raised as the participants were in agreement that the 216% was too high and out of the reach of the citizens.
Priscilla Dube who took part in the meeting said that the COVID-19 pandemic had adverse effects on the livelihoods of citizen making it difficult for them to afford these proposed rates.
“The COVID-19 regulations saw citizens losing their livelihoods especially in the informal sector as they were forced to close down for prolonged periods of time. This has exacerbated the financial difficulties that citizens have been faced with. The local authority needs to take such factors into consideration before imposing these rates hikes,” said Dube.