10 April 2025 The Zimbabwean
Bulawayo Mayor, David Coltart, issued a stark warning Tuesday that the city’s economic revival depends on immediate reforms in governance, service delivery and transparency, declaring that the once-thriving industrial capital risks permanent decline without bold and practical interventions.
Addressing delegates at the inaugural Bulawayo Economic Development Conference 2025 (BEDCON 25), Coltart said the city was “a pale reflection of what it used to be,” and called for urgent introspection and implementation of four key pillars: water infrastructure, sanitation and cleanliness, rule of law and efficient governance. “This conference comes at a critical stage in our city’s history,” Coltart said.
“Our factories look like graveyards. Railway sidings are overgrown. And we need to interrogate why our city is in this state. Not all the reasons are external. Some lie at our very own doorstep.”
Once hailed as the industrial hub of Zimbabwe and southern Africa, Bulawayo has endured decades of economic decay.
In his address, the mayor made a comparative reflection on Singapore’s rise, once economically smaller than Bulawayo in the 1950s but now one of the world’s most prosperous economies.
“If you study Singapore, one of the painful realities as we stand here today is that Bulawayo had a larger economy than Singapore in the late 1950s and 1960s. That is a fact,” he said.
“In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Singapore was marked by shacks. It was a tiny economy. Our city at the same time, sadly, was very similar to what it is today except we had growth and factories that produced railway wagons, that produced televisions and radio sets.”
Coltart said Singapore now has one of the highest GDPs, while Bulawayo is struggling with basic services, urging people to ask themselves: ‘What did they do differently?
He warned that water insecurity was driving both residents and potential investors away.
Despite full dams following recent rains, water remains undelivered due to broken infrastructure and outdated systems.
“We face a situation where some residents have gone three to four weeks without water,” he said. “Some pumps have been broken for over a year. That is unacceptable.”
Coltart proposed the establishment of a city-owned, publicly audited water utility to provide reliable service and ring-fenced investment in infrastructure.
“Without reliable water, we may as well go home now. No serious investor will look twice at Bulawayo if we can’t guarantee the basics.”
Equally troubling, Coltart revealed, was the state of sanitation in the city, with eight sewage plants operating below 20 percent capacity, where they were “pouring” raw sewage into the Umguza River.
He contrasted this with Singapore’s obsession with cleanliness.
“You can eat off the pavements in Singapore,” he said.
“Meanwhile, in Bulawayo, rubbish is piling up.”
In a jarring example of misplaced priorities, Coltart highlighted the US$18 000 used to host the BEDCON conference could have repaired all of the city’s refuse vehicles, an operation requiring only US$38 000.
“That speaks volumes about our priorities,” he said.
Coltart did not shy away from the politically sensitive subject of the rule of law and corruption, warning investor confidence hinges on accountability and predictability.
“At the outset, let me say that we in Council are deeply sympathetic to those who are in the informal sector. We understand that as a consequence of the collapse of industry, many people, not through their own volition, have been forced into the informal sector,” he said.
“But the harsh reality, again, is that because of the chaos in our inner city, not only do we present a bad image to potential investors, the chaotic image that is conveyed, but also the informal sector crowds out what is left of the formal sector. That has to change. The rule of law has to apply in that situation.”
Coltart said local councils can play a role in upholding integrity.
“There is zero tolerance to corruption in Singapore. That is something within our power. I said when I was elected, and I need to say it again. As a city administration, we have to adopt a zero tolerance approach to corruption if we seek to attract serious investors,” he said.
The mayor also challenged local business and academic leaders not to pay lip service to anti-corruption rhetoric.
According to Coltart, improving efficiency and cultural reform within the city council itself were necessarily.
“I’ve been in this job 18 months. Emails are ignored. Budget priorities are warped…,” he lamented, urging council management and policymakers to undergo “serious introspection” and align priorities with service delivery and investor expectations.
Coltart concluded by urging stakeholders to reimagine the city beyond its defunct industries. He pointed to tourism, peace, and the city’s strategic location as “low-hanging fruits” in a new economy.
“We can’t bring back the industries of the 1960s. But we have assets,broad streets, beautiful buildings, a peaceful climate and a highly literate population. Why aren’t we getting ten flights a day from Johannesburg?”
Coltart said the vision going forward must be practical and based on the city’s realities, calling on academics and policy experts to offer implementable, not abstract, solutions.
Echoing Coltart’s vision, Bulawayo’s Economic Development Officer, Mthandazo Ngwenya, said the city aimed to become a “smart city” through innovation and evidence-based policymaking.
“Our mission is to provide quality services through innovation, transparency, and client-focused research,” Ngwenya said.
“We envision a future where Bulawayo becomes a tech hub driven by homegrown research and commercially viable innovations.”
Ngwenya added that the city already has a research and innovation policy and committees involving academia, government, and industry, working toward building a strong ecosystem of collaboration.
“The future of Bulawayo lies in creating solutions through innovation and partnerships. This conference is not just a talk show, it’s the first step to a smarter, more inclusive city.”