September 3, 2025 | Heraldonline

BULAWAYO Mayor David Coltart has blown his top after yet another reckless fire almost torched Hillside Dams and nearby thatched homes, warning that the city is on the brink of a fire disaster.

Coltart revealed that while out cycling early on Tuesday, he caught two men illegally burning brush on a vacant plot in high winds, sending black smoke and flying sparks toward the conservancy and surrounding homes.

“I immediately told them that they were acting unlawfully and ordered them to stop and do whatever they could to put out the flames,” Coltart said. “At the same time I called the City of Bulawayo fire department which responded swiftly and put out the fire. The owner of the plot will be charged.”

The mayor’s fury comes as Bulawayo and the country reel from a wave of recent infernos. Last month, a Burnside blaze gutted a home and property worth US$500 000. On the same day, the iconic Elephant Lodge, formerly Jamaica Inn, was razed by a veldfire. In Gweru, traders at DST Home Industry were left counting heavy losses after a massive fire swept through their stalls.

On Sunday, a terrifying grass fire raced towards the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), forcing four fire engines and 25 firefighters into a dramatic battle to save the campus. All the fires in Bulawayo were started through reckless burning of brush in high winds.

Zimbabwe is deep in its fire season, which peaks from mid-August to early November. Authorities warn that 43 percent of the country faces high fire risk this year, with 13 percent at extreme risk due to thick, dry grass from a bumper rainy season.

Coltart said his earlier pleas for the public to stop burning brush have been ignored. “I am appalled. The public needs to know that our fire department is stretched as it is and this flagrant breach of the law is putting them under intolerable work pressure and is endangering lives and property,” he fumed.

The mayor vowed to act tough. “I am going to push for far more stringent penalties and we are encouraging law enforcement agencies to bring the full weight of the law against all who burn,” he said.
He urged residents to take action before tragedy strikes again. “Please assist us in educating all that burning brush and garden refuse is an offence and dangerous,” he said.

19 Aug 2025 | Bulawayo24news

Bulawayo councillors are at odds over the proposed Glassblock Dam project, with debates centering on cost, water security, and reliance on a single supply source. The dam, planned on the Mzingwane River in Matabeleland South, is expected to hold around 14 million cubic metres of water and is viewed as a medium-term solution to the city’s worsening water shortages.

At a full council meeting earlier this month, Ward 18 Councillor Felix Madzana cautioned that overreliance on Glassblock could leave Bulawayo vulnerable. “If we amend in the manner prescribed, Glassblock becomes the sole supplier of water to the city. Let’s keep our options open so that other resources remain available,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ward 28 Councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu questioned the project’s affordability. “My recommendation is that Glassblock should be a last resort because the cost of pumping is very high. Aquifers and supplies from Nyamandlovu are cheaper,” he noted.

Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu, however, urged council to pursue all available water projects without delay. “We cannot be choosers at this stage. We need water from Glassblock, Gwayi-Shangani, aquifers, and all the dams. The current sources cannot meet the demands of a growing population,” he said.

Mayor David Coltart highlighted additional challenges, including the 250km pipeline and massive power requirements of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, which would make the water three times more expensive without government subsidies. He also explained that international financiers backing Glassblock required guarantees that the city would purchase all water supplied, echoing conditions of Bulawayo’s existing contract with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) for Mtshabezi Dam.

With Bulawayo facing recurring shortages, councillors agree that urgent investment in multiple water projects is critical to prevent the crisis from worsening.

18 August, 2025 | Bulawayo24news

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has moved to seek bidders for waste management services following recommendations from the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (Zida) and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz). The development comes after the two bodies urged the city to engage Geo Pomona (Pvt) Ltd to better understand the company’s operations and possible strategies for sustainable waste management.

According to council’s latest minutes on solid waste management, the matter was triggered by a June 6, 2025, letter from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works highlighting the urgent need for proper waste disposal systems in urban centres. In response, BCC convened an engagement meeting with Geo Pomona to assess the company’s operations, explore its waste-to-energy projects, and review potential recommendations for Bulawayo.

Council officials confirmed that the city had already begun reviewing 11 previously submitted expressions of interest before receiving the ministerial directive. A negotiating committee had shortlisted three of these submissions to forward to Zida. However, Zida subsequently advised that the bids should be processed through Praz and that expressions of interest be publicly advertised as tenders to ensure transparency and fair competition.

During the meeting, Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube underscored the importance of aligning council’s plans with government directives, while also stressing the need for collaboration in finding sustainable solutions to the city’s waste challenges. The health services department presented an overview of the city’s current waste management practices and challenges, noting that limited landfill space, energy shortages, and the city’s vision of becoming a smart city were driving the push toward waste-to-energy initiatives.

Geo Pomona’s presentation reportedly highlighted waste encapsulation, landfill management, waste sorting, and energy conversion processes as part of their operational model. While acknowledging the company’s experience, council emphasized the necessity of a competitive procurement process, given that several other firms had already expressed interest in the project.

Mayor David Coltart stressed that the tender process must be fair and should not give undue advantage to any single company. He reiterated that the final resolution would not include specific company names to safeguard competitiveness.

In its resolutions, council agreed to draft a clear problem statement outlining the waste management challenges and potential solutions, issue an urgent public call for expressions of interest in line with Zida and Praz requirements, and invite all previous bidders to re-submit proposals under the new framework.

Feedback from the process is expected to be shared with the Local Government and Public Works Ministry as Bulawayo moves to establish a transparent and sustainable roadmap for solid waste management.

By Silas Nkala | Aug. 18, 2025 | Newsday

BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) is seeking bidders for waste management following advice from the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (Zida) and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz).

This was after the two bodies urged the city to invite representatives from Geo Pomona (Pvt) Ltd to an engagement meeting to understand the operations of the company.

The Geo Pomona representatives were asked to present the city’s waste management activities and make recommendations to council on the appropriate way forward regarding waste management strategies.

BCC’s latest minutes on solid waste management in urban centres state that health services director Edwin Sibanda reported last month that town clerk Christopher Dube received a letter from the Local Government and Public Works ministry on June 6 regarding the need for proper waste management systems.

“Following receipt of the ministerial letter, the City of Bulawayo invited representatives from Geo Pomona (Pvt) Ltd to an engagement meeting to understand the operations of the company, present the city’s waste management activities and make recommendations to council on the appropriate way forward regarding waste management strategies,” the minutes read.

“The meeting was advised that the City of Bulawayo had started the process of reviewing previously submitted expressions of interest before receipt of the letter of June 6, 2025.

“The City of Bulawayo negotiating committee had assessed the 11 expressions of interests (EoIs) and had made a recommendation to submit three to Zida.”

The minutes state that on submission earlier this year, Zida had advised that the bids should be processed through Praz.

“Additionally, such EoIs were to be advertised publicly as tenders to facilitate a competitive bidding process. The city noted that the EoIs had been received following council’s public advert of an investment prospectus in 2017 and 2018,” the minutes read.

“Council had prepared the advert for a public tender, which was, however, halted by receipt of the ministerial letter as council sought to understand and attend to its interpretation.”

Council noted that the meeting with Geo Pomona representatives sought to understand the organisation’s operations, their public-private partnership arrangement with the City of Harare and the legal arrangements regarding the contract with the City of Harare.

The minutes state that in his opening remarks at the meeting, Dube, the town clerk, highlighted the importance of aligning the city’s approach with government’s directive.

“He stressed that there should be collaboration in exploring ways to address existing challenges, identify potential solutions and consider areas where co-operation could be enhanced to achieve mutual benefit,” the minutes read.

A presentation was made by the City of Bulawayo health services department outlining the city’s current waste management practices, challenges and proposed solutions.

“The city’s presentation noted that the motivation to pursue waste-to-energy projects was driven by several factors which included space constraints: Limited landfill space necessitated alternative waste management solutions, vision for a smart, transformative city; Aligning with the city’s broader goal of becoming a smart city through circular economic initiatives; and energy deficiency: Recognising that Zimbabwe faces significant energy shortages, making waste-to-energy an attractive solution,” the council noted.

Indications are that Geo Pomona representatives also gave their presentation, emphasising on encapsulation of waste management, managing the inflows of the waste, landfill management (lining and creating leachate ponds), waste sorting and management, waste to energy plan civil works and waste to energy.

“Council had noted that there was a need to pursue a competitive procurement process, given that multiple companies had already expressed interest in the project,” the minutes read.

“It was noted that the city had received a number of expressions of interest prior to the ministerial letter and there was a need to craft a strategic roadmap for how the local authority will handle the waste-to-energy expression of interest process.”

Indications were that the roadmap was key for managing the bidding process to ensure adherence to the Zida and Procurement Act requirements.

“The matter was considered and Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart noted that council had engaged a Canadian company. The tender process should not grant competitive advantage. The process should be fair. The resolution should not have any name of a company,” the minutes further read.

“The acting town clerk explained that proposals had been submitted to Zida. Zida had advised that the bids should be processed through Praz. Expressions of interest were to be advertised publicly as tenders facilitating a competitive bidding process. Geo Pomona had approached council. Geo Pomona had been advised to follow the processes, participate and compete with the other bidders.”

Council then resolved that it would craft a clear problem statement/business case for solutions that should be proffered in the management of solid waste, advertise as a matter of urgency the expression of interest inviting bidders as per the Zida and Praz recommendations and that all other previous bidders be requested to submit their expressions of interest in line with the competitive bidding process.

It was said feedback would be shared with the Local Government and Public Works ministry on the processes the city was undertaking towards management of solid waste.

By Austin Karonga | Aug. 17, 2025 | Newsday

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chairperson Tavengwa Mukuhlani, has publicly criticised Bulawayo mayor David Coltart for alleging that the ZC board is racist, nepotistic, and corrupt.

During a media session at Harare Sports Club on Friday, Mukuhlani accused Coltart, who is also an avid cricket fan,  of spreading misinformation.

“I believe that patriotism is not defined by criticising those who do nothing. And it’s unfortunate that his definition of patriotism is the amount of criticism that he gives for what he believes is not true,” he said.

“I believe he misleads. I’m a champion of democracy, not because the system wanted me to be a champion.

“I’m a product of fighting to be a man. And I was fighting racism. To turn around and call an entire institution racist is a problem because Zimbabwe cricket is not.”

The ZC  chairperson also stated that after presenting a clean bill of financials, Coltart has paid a blind eye at the milestone to bring up new allegations.

“I’m surprised that he has stopped calling us thieves because his tagline was they are thieves, they are corrupt, they steal money. That is wrong. It’s no longer there. “He conveniently forgets that,” Mukuhlani said.

“We are not a racist country. We don’t seek power. And to put context to it, in 2015, Kyle Jarvis and Brendan Taylor had county contracts in England.

“We brought them back and matched their salaries.

“We brought back Gary Balance and matched his county contract, we did the same with Dave Houghton, they are all whites, they are not black but Coltart kept quiet.”

Mukuhlani said it was sad that Coltart, a minority within a black majority city, still does not believe in democracy.

“He is a minority in Zimbabwe and a Mayor in a city where the majority are black people. But Coltart does not believe there is democracy in this country.

“He is in opposition because he doesn’t believe there is democracy in this country. “For as long as it’s not his way, it’s not ours.”

Earlier Coltart had responded to Mukuhlani’s criticism in a lengthy statement.

“With regard to the allegation that I have been involved in ‘divisive interference of cricket’ a few facts need to be stated: I did not play a ‘key role in planning’ Henry Olonga and Andy Flower’s 2003 black-armband protest,” the former Education minister said.

“The facts are that they planned the protest and only sought advice from me regarding their statement issued at the time,” said Coltart.

“If anything my advice was that they protest in a way that would not disrupt the World Cup.

“It is in fact demeaning to these two cricket legends that it even be suggested that they didn’t have minds of their own and that I played a key role in planning their protest.

“As for their protest being “infamous” the fact is that their brave, selfless (both of them willingly forfeited their remaining international cricket playing careers), non partisan and peaceful protest was widely lauded throughout the cricketing world.”

Coltart also rebuffed ZC’s allegation that “thanks to pressure from Coltart England refused to travel to Harare for their World Cup match, triggering a long-lasting diplomatic and sporting rift.”

He said, “This is a total distortion of the truth. During the World Cup I met with the England team in Cape Town and tried to persuade them to play against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe but failed.”