Bulawayo mayor David Coltart has expressed frustration over bureaucratic bottlenecks stalling the long-awaited Glassblock Dam project, a crucial initiative aimed at securing a stable water supply for the city.
The proposed dam to be built on the Umzingwane River will have a capacity of 130 million cubic metres of water.
It has been identified as a medium-term solution to the city’s water shortages that will also usher in rural industrialisation through irrigation.
The dam has become the city council’s top priority as part of a broader strategy to secure a reliable water supply for Bulawayo.
Coltart warned that without swift action from the central government, the project could face indefinite delays.
In an interview with Southern Eye on Sunday, Coltart revealed how red tape at the national level was slowing down investment efforts in Bulawayo.
“We have made significant progress in identifying contractors and even secured indications of support worth US$93 million at the African Investment Forum in Morocco last December,” Coltart said.
“But we now seem to be bogged down by bureaucracy in Harare, with agreements that need to be signed still pending, and necessary approvals not yet granted.”
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The estimated cost of constructing the Glassblock Bopoma Dam is US$100 million.
The project is running under a build, operate and transfer model for 25 years, and will have its concession issued by the government.
Government awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction contract to construction firm J R Goddard Contracting.
According to council, the dam is expected to increase water inflows to Bulawayo by 70%.
This will require a 32-kilometre pipeline to pump water from the dam to Ncema, whose pumping system also needs rehabilitation.
The Gwayi-Shangani dam project, which is seen as a long lasting solution and was mooted in 1912, is taking ages to complete.
During a meeting on March 7, 2024, with then Local Government minister, Winston Chitando, council indicated plans to complete construction of the Glassblock dam by 2027.
Coltart lamented that the broader investment climate in Zimbabwe remained unfavourable, frustrating development of Bulawayo.
“Fundamentally, the major problem is that we are located in Zimbabwe, where the investment climate is generally unfavourable,” he said.
“We are trying to make Bulawayo more attractive, but we have hurdles — ensuring a secure source of water, cleaning up our sewage plants, and restoring order in the city.”
Coltart also pointed to deteriorating road conditions and traffic congestion as ongoing challenges that need urgent attention.
“Unless we get those fundamentals right, the city will remain an unattractive destination irrespective of the national climate,” he added.
Coltart also cited delays at the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe as another major obstacle, with some basic expenditure approvals taking over six months.
“These delays affect our ability to function efficiently,” he said.
“We can have revenues coming in, but if we can’t spend them due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, progress stalls.”
