The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council was aware that its water was contaminated as early as March after residents in Old Lobengula suffered from diarrhoea after drinking it.
The problem only escalated after 13 people later died and 2000 were affected in Old Luveve in June.
Investigations by Sunday News revealed that the contamination was first detected in Old Lobengula in March, but council quickly moved and dealt with the problem before it affected many people. Residents in the suburb also confirmed that they were affected by the water contamination as early as April.
“We first had sewage coming out of taps around late March to April. We reported it to the local authority, of which they suspended water shedding as a means of addressing the problem, but already we were exhibiting diarrhoea like symptoms. What worries us is that BCC officials know that this outbreak started in Old Lobengula, they have all the details but they do not want to come out in the public and tell people the truth,” said Mr Bernard Ndebele of Old Lobengula.
Sunday News sent the local authority’s senior public relations officer, Mr Nesisa Mpofu e-mailed questions on the allegations last month but she did not respond to the enquiry. However, Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube confirmed the allegations last Wednesday during a virtual media briefing. He said other cases were also reported in Mpopoma.
“Yes, it’s true, this thing (water contamination) started in Old Lobengula, we had a few cases in Mpopoma but according to our records it all started in Old Lobengula but we managed to contain it,” said Mr Dube.
On interventions that they did in Old Lobengula, the council’s Deputy Director of Engineering Services, Engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube said the local authority teams had managed to dig out and repair the damaged sewer and water lines that had caused the contamination.
“We had reports around April that sewage was coming out of the taps, what we did is we suspended water shedding in the suburb so as to flush the system. We had a team that went there and dug out and repaired the water and sewer lines in the area. I believe our interventions were a success because we managed to contain the cases in Old Lobengula,” said Eng Ncube.
In the class action civil suit with the High Court, Luveve residents argue that the local authority supplied them with water contaminated with feacal matter, coliform bacteria and water that was visibly discoloured, mixed with solids, odoriferous and clearly unfit for human consumption. The residents further allege that the local authority breached the constitutional rights to life, human dignity, personal security, safe, clean potable water and the right to adequate health care.
