The Sunday News
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
THE era of Blair toilets and bad roads could be a thing of the past in Cowdray Park as it is playing development catch-up courtesy of Zanu-PF aspiring national assembly candidate Professor Mthuli Ncube.
Prof Ncube last week presided over a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the genesis of sewer installation after he engaged engineers who are working with Bulawayo City Council to bring a lasting solution to the residents’ predicament.
More than 9 300 out of 15 600 Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle houses in Cowdray Park have been using Blair toilets as they could not afford the US$500 connection fee to the sewer reticulation system. In an interview with Sunday News, Prof Ncube said Cowdray Park had so many development challenges and was behind other areas in Bulawayo in terms of fresh water, sewage system, the road network, health services among other important and expected services.
“It is an area that is critical and at the moment some parts are even using Blair toilets. Even where there are no Blair toilets, the piping is not in order, so we have got sewage running around the streets and floating through the streets. That is not acceptable so we have started a programme where we want to develop the sewage system for Cowdray Park.
“We are working together with the Bulawayo City Council who have got all the maps to facilitate the job together with our constructors. It will take time, actually it should take time because we are connecting every household.
“The good thing is that the residents have organised themselves into committees and I have worked with them myself and I am part of those committees. So, it’s the residents, myself as the candidate and the city council and the contractors working together to deal with the sewage system,” said Prof Ncube.
Minister Mthuli Ncube
Sunday News visited the constituency last week and witnessed massive road works with the tarring of the Caravan-Esigodweni strip. Bulawayo City Council Director of Engineering Services Engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube said they had held engagement meetings with Professor Ncube’s team where they were helping each other with the development projects.
“We have had engagement meeting with the Professor Ncube’s team. They have supplied us with their scope of work which will include the resealing of roads as well as tarring particular roads in the area,” said Eng Ncube.
Meanwhile, Professor Ncube has also rolled out a skills development programme which will see pupils with inadequate Ordinary Levels being assisted to supplement and further their studies.
“We want to help them through for skills acquisitions. We will help them supplement from Ordinary Level up to Advanced Level because that is the foundation and it is important. If they have gone through that, they will then pass to the next stage of going to university or wherever they are going and acquire skills. So, it’s an entire value chain for skills acquisition.
“We want this to run all the way beyond acquisition of skills to entrepreneurship so I am currently negotiating for land with city council so that we can establish an industrial park in Cowdray Park.
“So, you will be able to see someone who has gone through supplementary programme for their O-levels and even their A-levels going on to contribute in that industrial park,” said Prof Ncube. –@nyeve14
