By Decide Nhendo
Some residents in Chikombedzi are bearing the brunt of poor service delivery going for nearly 11 years without running water on their taps due to a problem which started in 2013.
Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) is alleged to have abandoned pumping water from Chikombedzi River for this part of the country located in the southeastern part of Zimbabwe on the edge of Gonarezhou National Park in Masvingo Province after a pump started malfunctioning.
Chiredzi South Ward 11 councilor Urombo Makolo told this publication that Chikombedzi has not had running water from their taps since 2013 after a pump at the station stopped working.
People had to resort to other sources of water for domestic uses enduring long distances and long queues to access the precious liquid.
“ZINWA had been pumping water to the community in Chikombedzi and township but the service stopped in 2013 after the pump they were using stopped working. People have since resorted to getting water from boreholes and open wells for water to drink and use for domestic purposes.
“Many people travel for about two kilometers to fetch water and often have to wait in long queues at the boreholes,” said Makolo.
He said when they engaged ZINWA officials over the matter they were told that the authority had not yet found the pump to replace the failing one.
Makolo further said there were no decent road networks in Chikombedzi which was bad for cars and buses, saying there was need for rehabilitation.
“Our roads are in a bad state and most private cars and buses are no longer plying the route to Chikombedzi as they fear for their vehicles. There is need for grading and graveling of roads because most motorists struggle to use these roads going to and from Chikombedzi,” said Makolo.
He said state of the roads had resulted in motorists charging US$7 for distances that normally used to cost US$3 because of lack of competition as many avoid the roads.
“This state of the roads has caused motorists to charge around US$7 on 85kilometres journey that normally costs around US$3 because there are a few motorists plying the area ,” said Makolo.
He said most bridges were not standard and it was difficult to cross them during rainy season as they can be overflowing for a week or two.
“Chilonga is our main bridge, we have to cross it to Chiredzi, but during rainy seasons, it will be dangerous to cross the bridge as it sometimes overflows.
“This is the same with other bridges like the one in Mwenezi, since the bridge is low lying, it easily overflows leaving people with no option but to go through game reserves where they are asked to pay in order to pass,” said Makolo.
He further said that electricity was another challenge in ward 11 as nearly 16 poles fell down in 2022 and ZESA replaced the poles last month although the challenge still persists in the township area where an amour cable was stolen and is yet to be replaced.
“Electricity was another challenge in Chikombedzi, but ZESA has restored poles that fell down and the only place left without electricity is the township because an amour cable was stolen,” said Makolo.
Efforts to get a comment from ZINWA communications officer Obert Muchena were futile as he promised to call the reporter with response and failed to answer his cell several times.
