By Lance Guma
An estimated 100,000 residents in Masvingo are reported to have gone for three days without water following a burst water pipe. Supplies were only reconnected on Thursday.
Press reports quote the Mayor Femius Chakabuda saying: “One of the pipes that feed into our tanks burst and we are rectifying the situation. We needed four days to repair it and I am sure by tomorrow (Thursday) everything will be alright.”
Residents feared a deadly cholera outbreak because they were using unprotected water sources along the Mucheke River. It was reported in May that Masvingo needs US$45 million to build a new water system to avert looming shortages.
A growing population in the city has meant that the City Council has to build a completely new water pumping, conveyance and storage infrastructure with a capacity to pump and transport 30 megalitres per day. Chakabuda said they would be approaching the government to borrow the money required.
But it doesn’t look like they will get that money, given remarks by Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who last week made it clear that the government was cash strapped. He gave the example of the largest diamond mining firm in Marange, Anjin, who have not remitted a single cent to the Treasury.
Revenues from diamond mines in the country are allegedly being siphoned off by companies run by the military. To make matters worse the ZANU PF side of the coalition government is more focussed on projects like the building of a US$100 million ‘spy’ college and the purchase of military helicopter gunships from Russia. SW Radio Africa
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