Zimpapers Logo

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
FOLLOWING three years of collective effort, residents from Phase One Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle area in Ward 8 in Gwanda have successfully managed to install a sewer system and connect water to their area.

After living for 15 years without water supplies and a sewer system, residents in 2018 decided to take matters into their own hands and develop their area.

To speed up the works, Government has allocated the local authority $2 million to develop the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle area in Gwanda.

From the work that has been done so far, what remains is connecting water pipes and sewer pipes from the main line to homes.

Residents contributed funds which they used to buy pipes for a sewer system and water connections.
A Chronicle news crew visited the area yesterday where water pipes were installed last week to cater for about 30 houses. Residents installed a sewer system at the end of last year but they had to wait to have water connections first in order to use it.

They expressed their eagerness to connect water and sewer systems to their homes. Some residents said they had already purchased some of the materials.

The council is set to pick up from where residents left off as it will connect sewer and water to the remaining houses, service roads, connect electricity and do street lighting, using the funds from Government.

Mrs Melody Masiya said she was planning to have water connected to her house next week.

“After staying here for two years, I’m relieved that finally we can start connecting water to our homes and have toilets. I’m in the process of buying the pipes and other materials and I hope that by end of next week I will be having water running out of my taps and I will be having a toilet in my house,” she said.

Mrs Masiya said she and her family have been using the bush to relieve themselves. She said she has been buying the water that she uses from neighbouring houses.

Another resident, Ms Dredgelyne Bhebhe, said each household contributed US$25 towards purchasing sewer pipes and US$44 for water pipes. She said as residents they realised that they had to take a lead in developing their area.

Ms Bhebhe said it has been difficult using water which they buy from neighbouring areas.

“I pay R150 a month for water which I get from neighbouring areas. Living under these conditions has been difficult because the people we buy water from will be restricting the amount of water we collect in a day. It’s very difficult for a person like me who has four children as we require a lot of water. I’m planning to have my water connected next week,” she said.

The residents are also relieved as Government has allocated money towards developing their area. They anticipate more development within a short space of time.

Mr Caleb Mathe said he had lived at Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle for the past nine years without water and ablution facilities.

“As residents, our living conditions left us thinking that we have been sidelined from development initiatives but we are relieved that soon more development will be coming to our area in addition to the work that we have already done. This is a new dawn for us Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle residents. It has been really difficult living without water, toilets and electricity while our neighbours living close by have all these services. Now that Government has released funds, we know that development of our area is on course,” he said.

“Development of our area has been long overdue. Our conditions of living are like those of people in the rural areas yet we are in the urban areas and we are paying rates for services that we don’t get.”

Mr Mathe said now that the funds had been released, he hoped that their area would be developed timeously.

The Garakai/Hlalani Kuhle housing scheme has 530 houses. A total of 504 do not have sewer systems. Most houses now have water after residents mobilised resources and bought pipes.

Residents have waited for long for the municipality to service their area but without luck. While the residents are living without electricity their main concern is sewer reticulation and water supply.

When the Chronicle newscrew visited the area end of last year residents had bought sewer pipes. Council personnel were in the process of laying the pipes and constructing main holes.

Throughout the entire project residents have been providing labour.

The Councillor of Ward 8, Ntuthuko Ndebele said residents from his area started the project in 2018.

He said residents have been mobilising resources with the assistance of various stakeholders while the council had been providing technical assistance.

Clr Ndebele said they have been getting their bill of quantities from the council and the residents have kept all their receipts in order to claim their money back.

“The residents have successfully managed to install a sewer system and connect water. The residents haven’t been working alone in this. While they contributed most of the funds to buy the materials, they have also received assistance from various stakeholders who have provided materials.

The council has also assisted with relevant expertise to make this project a success. We have managed to install water and sewer system to 30 houses and we were planning to move onto other houses just before we heard that Government has released funds to develop Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle area,” he said.

Clr Ndebele said the situation had gone out of hand as some people have been using unfinished houses to relieve themselves. He said Manzamnyama stream which passes close to Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle houses is now dirty because of human waste.

Gwanda Mayor, Clr Njabulo Siziba said they had been allocated $2 million towards developing Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle area. He said works were expected to commence soon. Clr Siziba said development works that will be carried out include installing sewer system and water to remaining houses, electrifying the area and road works.

He said as council they were impressed by the work which the residents had done to develop their area. He said such initiatives by community members were very important as they helped bring development.

“The idea for residents to develop their areas which were not serviced was suggested during an all stakeholders meeting and residents from Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle took the lead.

The residents have been mobilising resources while our engineering department has been working closely with them constantly monitoring and providing their expertise stage by stage. We will work on reimbursing residents the money they have used,” he said. — @DubeMatutu