Fuel shortages hit BCC operations

By Auxilia Katongomara

The Bulawayo City Council is grappling with fuel shortages which have resulted in the local authority failing to provide essential services among them ambulance and fire services, and refuse collection.

The local authority has since notified residents that it will not be able to collect refuse in some suburbs due to fuel shortages.

In an interview yesterday, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube confirmed the development.

“We are in trouble and if the situation remains like this I don’t really know how we are going to provide services but, however, some fuel suppliers are sympathetic to our cause because we serve the public,” said Mr Dube.

He said they were struggling to offer service or attend to faults due to the fuel shortages.

“The finance director has just told me that he got something at least to minimise the impact of the situation. As of now we are struggling to offer services, the fuel we got is short term, as I have said before, we are in trouble. We are trying to engage the fuel suppliers to say we don’t serve individuals but we serve the community,” he said.

Read a Tweet from the local authority:

“Please be advised that due to fuel shortages, Council is unable to collect refuse from the following areas today: 1. Riverside; 2.Selbourne Park North; 3. Waterford; 4. Manningdale ; 5. Part of central business district, 6. Shopping Centre in western area.

“Residents are kindly requested to keep their refuse within their yards. Bins will be collected next Monday. We have a big challenge is accessing fuel. Once we have supplies our refuse compactors will resume operations”. The Chronicle