CHINESE company Haulin Quarry Mine has donated 50 solar-powered lights to Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to improve visibility and reduce the crime rate in the city.
Ward 17 Pumula councillor Sikhulekile Moyo told Southern Eye that they were happy about the social corporate responsibility gesture of the mining company.
She said the donation would go a long way in reducing cases of robbery and other criminal activities in the ward.
“The crime rate is too high. We are happy about the donation. There was a gap that was left after Zesa disconnected the tower lights to install prepaid meters, so robbers took advantage of that and the process of accessing funding by council took too long,” she said.
Moyo said they were still debating how the prepaid meters would be paid for and that they were not given notice by the power utility.
Haulin Mine spokesperson Rodrick Moyo said they donated 50 solar-powered lights to the ward to improve visibility.
“We want to improve visibility and we are donating in Pumula since ward 17 is our operational area,” he said.
Moyo said they had also donated quarry stones for building projects at schools, churches and other institutions.
- Uproar over census figures
- Byo Arts Festival in turmoil…One year later, festival has yet to pay artists…Organisers play cat and mouse with artists
- Bulawayo struggles to clear housing backlog
- Council acts tough on debts
Keep Reading
Residents in the ward were complaining that council should repair or replace faulty tower lights and streetlights to reduce criminal activities and improve safety in the city, particularly in high-density suburbs.
They had also reported an increase in robberies and other criminal activities due to inadequate lighting.
BCC has acknowledged the issue and cited lack of funding and faulty machinery as challenges in addressing the problem.
Bulawayo mayor David Coltart recently called on council to prioritise the repair of tower lights, citing the need for a safe and secure environment for residents.
