Published On The Zimbabwe Mail

Bulawayo’s Mayor, Senator David Coltart, has chosen to forgo the traditional mayoral gown, calling it a “colonial relic” that no longer resonates with the identity and values of the city. 

The decision, announced at a recent civic service, signals a commitment to redefining local symbols in a way that honours Zimbabwe’s culture and history.

In his address, Mayor Coltart expressed his belief that the gown, a vestige of Zimbabwe’s colonial past, does not reflect the city’s heritage or aspirations. “This attire is part of our colonial legacy, and we need symbols that genuinely represent our people,” Coltart explained.

To replace the gown, Mayor Coltart has commissioned a new design from local women artisans in Matobo, an area renowned for its cultural craftsmanship and artistry. The new gown, he envisions, will embody elements of Zimbabwean tradition and Bulawayo’s vibrant cultural heritage, showcasing the unique artistry of the region. “By having the gown crafted by women from Matobo, we’re creating a piece that celebrates Zimbabwean identity and supports local talent,” Coltart added.

This initiative reflects a broader movement in Zimbabwe to reshape public symbols and spaces, moving away from colonial legacies towards representations that align with local culture and pride.

Local Bulawayo residents and cultural advocates have praised Coltart’s decision, noting that it speaks to a renewed sense of African identity within Zimbabwe’s civic institutions. The new gown, they say, could set a precedent for other cities across Zimbabwe and Africa to revisit their own symbols of authority and redefine them in ways that are locally meaningful.

The Matobo-based artisans tasked with the design are eager to deliver a garment that combines traditional Zimbabwean motifs and modern symbolism. The project is expected to be completed in the coming months, with the new gown making its debut at future civic ceremonies.

Coltart’s choice has sparked conversations across Bulawayo about the importance of cultural representation in civic life. His initiative is seen as an effort to foster a sense of unity and pride among residents by creating symbols that resonate with the people of Zimbabwe, bridging the past with a vision for the future.

Publishes on Bulawayo24

The Bulawayo City Council has taken decisive action to address the growing lawlessness caused by kombi operators and vendors, temporarily halting the construction of Phases 1B and 2 at the Egodini Terminus. The move is aimed at restoring order in the city, which has been plagued by reckless driving, illegal parking, and vendors occupying public spaces without authorization.

The council’s immediate focus is on enforcing by-laws to create a safer and more organised environment for residents and visitors. Despite the completion of Phase 1A of the Egodini Terminus project in February, the city centre remains congested. Vendors continue selling in undesignated areas, and kombis and pirate taxis, particularly Honda Fits, frequently flout traffic rules, exacerbating chaos in the city.

Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor David Coltart, explained that the decision to suspend further construction at Egodini was taken to send a strong message that lawlessness will no longer be tolerated. The council has enlisted the help of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to enforce by-laws and address the widespread violations.

“Egodini construction is in a state of limbo pending certain issues being resolved, mainly linked to lawlessness in the city regarding both vendors and taxis. We have asked for assistance from the ZRP to address some of the issues,” said Cllr Coltart in an interview. The Mayor emphasized the need to reduce traffic congestion and improve the city’s image to create a conducive environment for businesses.

The Egodini Terminus project, undertaken by Terracotta Trading of South Africa, had plans to expand the taxi rank to accommodate the rising number of kombis in the area. However, with ongoing issues of congestion and disorder, the council is prioritising the enforcement of order before resuming construction.

In addition to these efforts, the Bulawayo City Council and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) are exploring plans to convert part of the railway station’s parking area into a designated hub for cross-border buses. This initiative is expected to alleviate traffic congestion and reduce the number of buses picking up and dropping off passengers in unauthorized areas within the city.

The proposed hub would service key routes such as Bulawayo-Harare, Bulawayo-Masvingo, Bulawayo-Beitbridge, and Bulawayo-Victoria Falls, as well as international routes to Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Mozambique. Smaller sections would also be allocated for metered taxis. The railway station’s parking area, which offers amenities like toilets, running water, and waiting areas, is considered an ideal location for the terminal.

During a joint site inspection by the council and NRZ officials, it was noted that the station area also has several vacant buildings and open spaces that could be converted into informal trading zones. The total area that could be re-purposed for these uses is about 19.2 hectares.

To bolster these efforts, the council advertised nearly 300 security officer positions in July to enforce by-laws across the city. The hiring of these officers aims to crack down on offenders, some of whom have previously used political connections to avoid repercussions. With these developments, the council hopes to restore order and improve safety in Bulawayo’s city centre.

By William Vundla

Bulawayo mayor David Coltart has said they are ready to avail land to American internet company, Starlink, to construct a ground station.

Coltart posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, which he tagged the Starlink owner Elon Musk, revealing that Bulawayo, located in the southern part of the country, is geographically suitable for such a station.

In an interview, Coltart said his post was inspired by the ground station that was established by the American company in Nigeria, adding that a similar station in the Sadc region would improve bandwidth and internet connectivity.

“As a city, we have land to avail, but of course, it would not be a gift, but we would be glad to facilitate such services from Space X within the city,” he said.

“In terms of location, it is an excellent location with the Sadc region considering that Bulawayo is close to South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia.”

The original post was from high speed internet consultant and researcher Willard Shoko, who mentioned the benefits of a similar ground station within the Sadc region.

“A closer ground station in the Sadc region will significantly reduce latency and bring investment opportunities and economic development,” Coltart wrote.

Shoko, in a separate post, said Zimbabwe had a lot of unused bandwidth and that setting up a ground station in Bulawayo would make use of the underutilised international bandwidth of which we are only using 36% to download and less than 10% to upload.

“More than 90% of our internet is served in Johannesburg, where local internet service providers peer for free to content delivery networks and hyperscalers like Tiktok, WhatsApp, Meta, Netflix, YouTube, Google etc,” he said.

Published on Bulawayo24

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has reassured residents that there are no plans to privatise the city’s water utility, clarifying that its separation from the engineering department was meant to protect water assets. This follows concerns over the decision to establish a stand-alone water utility.

Mayor David Coltart emphasized that the utility will remain fully owned by the council, with no third-party involvement. The council’s goal is to improve water management efficiency, with a US$17 million transition budget supported by international partners.

Despite this, Ward 17 Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo revealed the project will be delayed due to the city’s ongoing water shortages. However, Coltart noted that the project has not been officially shelved, as no resolution has reversed the initial decision. The council plans further public engagement to explain the initiative.

Concerns about potential privatisation were raised by the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA), which feared increased water costs and threats to residents’ rights to affordable water. BPRA cited Section 77 of the Zimbabwean Constitution, which guarantees access to clean water, and referenced the city’s past water-related health crises, including a 2020 diarrhoea outbreak in Luveve.

The BCC aims to ensure that any surplus revenue from the water utility is reinvested in infrastructure, addressing historical issues where water revenue was used for general city expenses.

By Lenin Ndebele

A 35-year-old security guard in Zimbabwe, Ezekiel Chiradza, was arrested on Monday on allegations that he insulted President Emmerson Mnangagwa and undermined the Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG) currency launched in April.

Chiridza’s arrest came after filming a video he later shared on a WhatsApp group accusing the president of mismanaging the economy.

“There is no respite in targeting citizens for perceived dissent,” Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said in a statement.

When it was launched, the ZWG was said to be backed by the country’s gold reserves and other minerals such as diamonds. 

The currency has been sliding in value on the black market and faces public resistance despite the government unleashing police and the intelligence services on people rejecting the new money.

Vice-president Constantino Chiwenga said the government will continue to protect the currency.

“Our government introduced the Zimbabwe Gold as our new sovereign currency. It is our responsibility as a nation to embrace and protect the new currency as a bedrock and anchor of our economic development.

“Let me assure you that the government is working to promote the wider use of our local currency and is putting in place measures that will eliminate gaps that are creating arbitrage opportunities in the exchange market,” he said, addressing mourners at the burial of retired brigadier Shadreck Ndabambi at the National Heroes Acre on Wednesday.

The official rate on Thursday was pegged at US$1 to ZWG13.8 – while on the black market it traded at around twice as much to the US dollar.

Retailers are forced to take payments in ZWG while some of their suppliers demand US dollars or South African rand.

It’s even worse for importers, without adequate foreign currency provision from the government.

Those who continue to take the ZWG have resorted to what is called “forward pricing” whereby they sell their products at black market rates.

This gives them leverage to buy forex on the black market at a premium.

A chain of stores owned by Raj Modi, Zimbabwe’s deputy minister of industry and commerce, is one of those doing so in Bulawayo.

For example, Mazoe orange juice, a product that sells for $5 or R100 in the local currency, costs ZWG114.5 at the minister’s shops. 

That implies a rate of ZWG22.9 to the dollar – last week’s black market rate.

Modi did not respond to questions from News24. 

Some retailers and pharmacies switch off their point-of-sale machines, forcing customers to use foreign currency.

In some shops there are goods such as cooking oil that can only be purchased in forex, because they are critical imports.

Bigger retailers such as South African-owned Pick n Pay are closely monitored and stick to the official rate.

Pick n Pay’s Zimbabwean partner Meikles Limited, in its financial statements released in January for the last quarter of 2023, said the depreciation of the local currency was behind its poor performance.

The disparity in official and black market rates has seen new forms of entrepreneurship pop up. Bread is price controlled and sells for ZWG15 when available in that currency, but goes for $1 or R20 in other currencies. Traders cash out the difference by buying bread in Zimbabwe Gold and reselling it in those currencies.

“It’s an easy way to earn foreign currency and you have a bigger profit margin than the bread bakers themselves,” said street vendor Tinashe Moyo.

Some traders will now offer an effective discount of 20%, he said.

He added: “Even if I remove 20 cents from a dollar, I am well within a good profit and we strictly take forex. So one ends up buying two or three loaves to reach a round figure because change is a problem”.

The ZWG is mostly in electronic form despite physical notes and coins in circulation; you can only withdraw ZWG3 000 ($215 at the official rate) per week. 

James Ncube (55) took early retirement from government employment as a teacher in January after 20 years on the job.

He had 10 more years to work before reaching 65 years of retirement age.

His pension was paid in the ZWG in May this year and he bought forex on the black market to lock in the value.

“The money has lost almost half of what it was worth when I was paid. If I had not bought foreign currency as a store of value, I would have been left with nothing,” he said.

Ncube said most of his family’s daily needs were paid for in foreign currency, so keeping ZWG is not a smart move.

When the government introduced ZWG, there were promises that by now one would be able to buy fuel or gas using it. That’s yet to happen.

The currency is not recognised outside Zimbabwe.

“The only things I pay for in ZWG are rates and electricity. Everything else is either in black market prices or hard currency,” Ncube said.

Bulawayo mayor David Coltart in a post on X said the government fixed ZWG rates were disadvantaging service delivery and the business community at large.

Published on Legalbrief

Despite local controversy such as the jailing of opposition activists and pressure to move it from Harare, Zimbabwe, the 44th SADC ordinary summit which wrapped up yesterday was of the best-attended by heads of state and government over the past nine years. Legalbrief reports that the Harare summit ran under the theme: Promoting Innovation to unlock opportunities for sustained economic growth and development towards an Industrialised SADC. Just three heads of state didn’t attend (Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema, Comoros’ Azali Assoumani and Prithvirajsing Roopun of Mauritius). The least attended summit was in SA in 2017 where just nine out of 16 heads of state and government showed up. News24 reports that Claver Gatete, the UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, spoke about SADC’s capacity and the importance of working together. ‘The region is home to most of the world’s gold, copper, cobalt, lithium, chromium, graphite and platinum and possesses significant livestock and agricultural endowments. We have no choice but to look inward for homegrown solutions including domestic resource mobilisation and innovative financing for climate to sustain our development. And SADC can be a leader on this imperative,’ he said.

Ahead of the summit, Zambia and the DRC were locked in a trade dispute over imports from Zambia, with Lusaka responding by closing its borders. The two countries are both Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and SADC members. However, they are not signatories to trade pacts of the two blocks and, therefore, rely on a bilateral agreement signed in 2015. Lesotho’s Prime Minister Sam Matekane, who survived a vote of no confidence with the help of the military last year, left the summit a happy man after the bloc highlighted that his government is on track with political reforms. He was urged to move with speed to pass the 10th, 11th and 12th Amendment to the Constitution Bills known as the Omnibus Bill, to end a decades-long crisis that can be traced back to events before the 2014 coup. The Summit also commended the DRC, eSwatini, Madagascar, SA and Zimbabwe for successfully holding peaceful elections.

In key developments, SADC removed eSwatini’s political and security situation from the discussion table of the Troika Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation. But SADC leaders ‘noted the positive progress regarding the political and security situation in the Kingdom of eSwatini’ as presented by King Mswati III. Activists calling for political reforms in eSwatini had urged the SADC to take decisive action to deal with the deteriorating situation in the kingdom. The Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) – a coalition of political parties and civil society pro-democracy organisations – called on the regional bloc to ‘intensify its engagement with the eSwatini Government’ and apply ‘pressure to ensure that the recommendations previously made by SADC are fully implemented’. ‘The time for collegial approaches has passed; SADC must now assert its position firmly and revive the stalled and prolonged efforts to resolve the situation in eSwatini,’ the forum said. Speaking to the Daily Maverick, MSF spokesperson Sivumelwano Nyembe said the forum viewed the implementation of a ‘national dialogue to be of urgency’. The MSF has, for years, called for an ‘internationally mediated dialogue’ with the primary aim of reforming the current political system in the country and ushering in a new Constitution that guarantees multi-party democracy. After the kingdom was wracked by unprecedented violent protests in June 2021, then chair of SADC’s security organ, President Cyril Ramaphosa, met King Mswati III and persuaded him to institute a national dialogue on democratic reform. However, efforts to institute a genuine, inclusive national dialogue have so far been futile.

Full Daily Maverick report

Civil society from the DRC appealed to SADC leaders to call on all parties to the conflict in North Kivu to respect the ceasefire, international treaties, and an indefinite humanitarian truce. Additionally, they want SADC to encourage President Felix Tshisekedi to engage all parties in the crisis and seek a political settlement. News24 reports that increased violence in Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu since 2022 has resulted in starvation, mass displacement and crimes, including gender-based and sexual violence. This unrest puts regional stability in jeopardy, entangling neighbouring nations in the conflict and elevating the eastern DRC to one of the gravest humanitarian disasters on Earth. Julienne Lusenge, co-founder and president of Female Solidarity for Integrated Peace and Development, said the problems in the DRC directly affect SADC’s development so the bloc must act. ‘They don’t have to stand by and watch the dehumanisation of an entire people and the plundering of a member country’s resources, which directly affects SADC’s standing. For there can be no development without peace,’ Lusenge said. Despite Tshisekedi refusing to negotiate with Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, the Luanda Peace Process led by Angola two weeks ago brought Ministers from Rwanda and the DRC for talks.

Ahead of the summit, UN-appointed experts urged Zimbabwe to release three rights activists they said had been tortured in detention. They identified them as rights activist Namatai Kwekweza, teachers’ union leader Robson Chere and Samuel Gwenzi, a former Harare municipal councillor. News24 reports that they were arrested on 31 July for demonstrating in support of jailed opposition leader Jameson Timba and other activists. ‘The three were reportedly subjected to enforced disappearance, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including waterboarding’, the statement said. They were afterwards handed over to police who informed them for the first time of the reason for their arrest: alleged ‘disorderly conduct’ during a demonstration in July for Timba’s release. A Daily Maverick analysis notes that the ruling Zanu-PF has forcefully cracked down on its political opponents over the past few weeks, arresting, detaining and, in some cases, allegedly torturing about 165 of them, precisely out of fear that they would embarrass President Emmerson Mnangagwa by demonstrating against him at the summit. Opposition stalwart David Coltart, the mayor of Bulawayo, called the crackdown ‘preventative detention’, predicting the oppositionists would be released after the summit. Preventative detention is clearly also what happened in another SADC member state, Tanzania, last week. The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party suppressed opposition demonstrations, and hundreds of members of the main opposition Chadema party were detained to prevent them from holding a rally in Mbeya to celebrate International Youth Day on 12 August. They were released a day later.

By Peter Dube

Bulawayo mayor David Coltart has called on the police to intensify patrols and help to end illegal mining activities along rivers that feed into city’s supply dams.

Coltart told Southern Eye yesterday that Bulawayo City Council had deployed municipal police which had its own limitations.

He said illegal mining was causing siltation of rivers which reduces their capacity to feed into the supply dams.

“We need concerted effort by the police and possibly even the army to end illegal gold panning in our river systems,” Coltart said.

“As the rainy season is coming, I’m afraid, since the illegal miners have dug trenches, the first rains are unlikely to reach the Mzingwane catchment area. They will first have to fill up those trenches, hence we are facing difficult times as the people of Bulawayo.”

Coltart said water supply in Bulawayo would worsen if the situation remained the same, given that little rainfall was received in the last rainy season.

“The issue of illegal gold panning around river systems is a serious threat. If we receive low rainfall like last season, it is likely that our catchment areas are likely not going to receive any rain as it will be lost in those trenches dug by miners,” he said.

Coltart said the illegal mining activities around the Bulawayo river systems should be taken seriously as the rivers were responsible for supplying water to citizens.

“Now we are facing a challenge as we received low rain last season. We should now begin to prepare for the rainy season so that when it comes, we will be able to capture the rains.

“So if we are able to end illegal mining, we are likely to save our rivers from running dry, hence improving the water situation which we have been facing,” he said.

Published on Pindula News

Bulawayo mayor, David Coltart, said that there is low morale among the city’s councillors, stating that they are poorly paid, forcing them to rely on allowances to make ends meet.

During the “In Conversation with Trevor” series held in Bulawayo on Tuesday, Coltart revealed that the councillors are compelled to take on at least two jobs to survive, given the inadequate compensation they receive for their municipal duties. He said (via NewsDay):

“I get paid an allowance of US$47 a month as mayor and councillors are paid even less, so there is very low morale among councillors. Councillors are constantly finding ways of supplementing.

We spend far too much time on workshops and we do the practical day-to-day business that needs to be done, because, without workshops, councillors can’t survive.

The major problem is the change from executive to ceremonial mayors. It means that mayors and councillors need to have at least two jobs and definitely, they need a job outside of being mayors and they balance the income.”

Coltart urged the government to consider adopting a model similar to South Africa, where mayors hold executive powers rather than serving in a purely ceremonial role. He said:

“If they are like the citizens of South Africa, whose full-time job is running the city and it reflects globally, that’s something that the government needs to look at.

If I could admit that if I committed 24 hours to this job, there is no doubt that we could achieve a lot more, you can’t just work in an executive power with limited powers.”

Earlier this year, in January, Coltart revealed that his monthly income amounted to only US$25.

This disclosure came after some opposition activists had demanded that he resign after the Citizens’ Coalition for Change party had been hijacked by Sengezo Tshabangu.

Coltart said that his decision not to step down was not motivated by personal greed, but rather by his commitment to serve the residents of Bulawayo.

Published on Bulawayo24

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is facing significant challenges in accounting for almost 50% of the water it pumps from supply dams to consumers. This issue is primarily due to dilapidated infrastructure, theft of water supply equipment, and a poor water metering system. The aging pipes are prone to leaks and bursts, leading to substantial water loss before reaching consumers. Theft of essential equipment and inadequate water metering further exacerbate the problem.

Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart highlighted that 48% of the city’s pumped water is classified as non-revenue water, lost through leakages or siphoning. BCC’s director of engineering and sanitation, Engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube, noted that addressing the issue requires significant capital investment due to the aging pipe network. In 2012, over 60% of the network was already over 40 years old, and very little has been invested in repairs and replacements since then.

The city’s 2012 water and wastewater master plan estimates that US$465 million is needed to systematically replace and upgrade old water pipes, but only US$25 million has been invested so far. Despite limited resources, BCC has received support from non-governmental organizations and the government. Annual allocations between US$150,000 and US$200,000 have been provided for targeted replacements of water meters and pipes. The government has pledged US$14 million to mitigate water issues, with US$2.8 million already released for water pumps at Umzingwane and Inyankuni pump stations.

A recent water situation update report by the Bulawayo water technical committee, headed by Engineer Annatoria Chinyama, identified a US$2.3 million non-revenue water reduction action plan for implementation before year-end. The city is also procuring leak repair materials and plans to rehabilitate and upgrade the Insiza and Mtshabezi pipelines.

Bulawayo is currently on a strict 120-hour water-shedding schedule to conserve the limited available water. The city has 412 community boreholes, with 43 non-functional. UNICEF and other partners have been involved in rehabilitating boreholes to improve water access. Vandalism of equipment at the Nyamandlovu aquifer has reduced the city’s daily water supply to 8.27 megalitres, against a minimum target of 16 megalitres.

Published on The Zimbabwe Mail

BULAWAYO, – Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has issued an urgent plea for $14 million to upgrade the Mtshabezi and Insiza pipelines amid a worsening water crisis. During a visit to the Umzingwane Dam and Ncema pump stations, Coltart described the situation as catastrophic.

Umzingwane Dam is nearly dry, holding only 2% of its capacity, and has been decommissioned. Inyankuni Dam, currently at 22% capacity, is at risk of a similar fate without significant rainfall.

Coltart highlighted the critical need to upgrade the pipelines from Insiza and Mtshabezi dams, which are 43% and 53% full, respectively. However, deficiencies in these pipelines are preventing adequate water supply to the city.

Residents are enduring extended periods without water, and the government has not yet declared a water crisis, which would enable external financial support.

Coltart warned of an impending disaster if immediate action is not taken, pointing out that outdated water purification systems and pumps at Ncema are operating at only 35% capacity and urgently need upgrades.

The mayor’s call for funds and immediate intervention underscores the dire situation facing Bulawayo and the necessity for swift governmental and international aid to address the water crisis.