The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Municipal Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council could be guilty of delaying the city’s technological advancement as it has emerged that the local authority adopted stringent regulations that have frustrated telecommunication companies from installing optic fibre to boost Internet access.
An optic fibre cable is a network cable that contains strands of glass fibres inside an insulated casing. They are designed for long distance, very high performance data networking and telecommunications. In most cases the cables are dug underground.
However, investigations by Sunday News revealed that Internet service providers wanting to boost connectivity in the country’s second largest city could be staying a step away owing to the stringent by-laws being put in place by the local authority.
Among these regulations is the insistence by the council for the companies to pay rental fees per metre per month for optic fibre installed which has thus led to an impasse. The companies are arguing that this is “absurd and unattainable” considering that they had to charge a uniform usage figure for the whole country.
Responding to written questions, the local authority’s spokesperson, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu confirmed the charge, adding that this was not only effected on telecommunication companies but anyone doing trenching in the city.
“The current rates are $0,55 per square metre per month for any fibre optic installation. There is a council resolution of 6 April 2011 on the lease of wayleaves and servitudes by service organisation within council boundary. The resolution states that: a) All service organisations that intend to put cables under or over the land apply and obtain a lease prior to commencement of the work. b) Service organisations that already have cables underground or overhead must obtain leases from council and c) council departments should collate the information, calculate the amount of land and prepare leases for such organisations,” said Mrs Mpofu.
She said despite these companies covering the trenches they would have created in most cases the road structure would have been weakened meaning that these roads would now be prone to potholes.
“The City of Bulawayo has set standards for backfilling when trenches have been done. Companies have been given a maintenance period of two years so that if anything happens they should refill the trench. After the backfilling, we carry out tests where in most instances the results indicate that the backfilling would have been done properly and of proper material.
Unfortunately, with a trench no matter how properly it’s done; there will be settlement and thereafter depression. This may result in development of potholes. Whenever there is digging of a road or trenching, the road structure is weakened and this makes it susceptible to potholes or road destruction,” said Mrs Mpofu.
Representatives of telecoms companies who spoke on condition of anonymity however, blasted the local authority saying the city was the only one in the country which was demanding the monthly rental.
“We have tried engaging them because it does not make sense for us to be paying these servitudes just in Bulawayo while in other cities, including Harare this is not the case at all. I believe the local authority is disadvantaging their own residents as these days optic fibre is the way to go. However, with the pressure we are getting from our clients, we will continue to engage the local authority with the hope of reaching an amicable position,” said one of the representatives.
However, speaking during a tour of the TelOne fibre project along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge in April, Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister, Cde Supa Mandiwanzira said the installation of optic fibre was significant in bringing broadband to the country, which creates opportunities and enhances service delivery for Government institutions, the business community and access to communication at individual level.
Minister Mandiwanzira said infrastructure development was a key pillar under Zim Asset as it lays the foundation for increased attraction to investors.
“We have a target as Government that by the year 2020, at least 80 percent of our population must have access to broadband, and this project helps us achieve that. This also demonstrates that Government is not just talking but putting into action things that it talks about.
“This is not about building roads but putting communication infrastructure at the door step of our people. This fibre optic cable will help us achieve that much faster.”
