BULAWAYO – Nkulumane, one of Bulawayo’s largest high-density suburbs, is emerging as the epicentre of the city’s sanitation crisis – accounting for nearly half of all sewer blockages reported daily.
City officials say they receive between 90 and 120 sewer choke reports every day, and the bulk of them are from Nkulumane. The revelation has raised questions over whether the suburb’s sprawling sewer network was poorly designed or has simply collapsed under the weight of age and neglect.
The problem is worsened by Bulawayo’s chronic water shortages. Most residents only have running water two days a week, a situation the city says causes solid waste to accumulate in sewer pipes instead of being flushed away.
In a statement, the City of Bulawayo admitted the problem had become acute, citing an old fleet of service vehicles and residents dumping inappropriate materials into the system.
Despite the challenges, officials say 1,940 blockages were cleared in August, reducing the backlog of cases from 823 to 338. Contractors have been brought in to assist with jetting and winching services, while some sewer outfalls in Pumula East and Entumbane have already been rehabilitated.
“Emergency interventions, including the engagement of private contractors for jetting and winching services, have been instrumental in this progress,” the city said.
Mayor David Coltart said a programme to replace the council’s outdated fleet and restructure manpower was under way, while procurement of sewer repair materials had been prioritised.
Still, the stubborn concentration of blockages in Nkulumane stands out. Urban planning experts have long warned that some of Bulawayo’s older sewer lines, particularly in high-density suburbs, are now too narrow to cope with today’s population levels.
The city has urged residents to play their part by protecting public infrastructure and avoiding flushing solid waste into the system.
