BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) is struggling to maintain the city’s greenspaces, including parks and other recreational facilities, owing to water supply disruptions.
This emerged during the launch of the first indigenous forest pocket at the Centenary Park by the Indigenous Tree Day Organisation in conjunction with the local authority.
The initiative seeks to promote an indigenous tree ecosystem in the city.
Housing and community services director Doctor Khumalo said efforts to maintain the city’s greenspaces were being hampered by lack of water.
“Despite efforts to green the city, as council we are struggling to sustain our initiatives due to reliance on a single borehole and the collapse of the reclaimed water system,” he said.
“The city’s greening efforts were previously sustained by the reclaimed water system, which sourced water from the Thorngrove sewage treatment works.
“However, the underperformance of the waste treatment system has resulted in a significant shortage of reclaimed water, hindering council's ability to maintain its greenspaces.”
Bulawayo parks are now a shadow of their former self, unkempt and now home to street kids and thieves, some of them having been turned into toilets by touts.
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Khumalo underscored the importance of having an alternative to traditional water supply systems.
He revealed that council is facing challenges when it comes to the tools of trade to maintain greenspaces.
“Council needs bowsers and tractors to effectively maintain the city’s greenspaces, but these are currently lacking,” he said.
“However, there is hope that the budget for this year will support the acquisition of these essential tools, enabling council to deliver its mandate.”
Khumalo said the local authority was open to partnerships with stakeholders and environmentalists in maintaining the city’s greenspaces.
“Despite these challenges, BCC intends to expand the concept of pocket forests in the city,” he said.
“Council is open to engaging with stakeholders to identify special areas that can be adopted to accelerate the afforestation strategy.
“By working together, council aims to enhance the city’s greenspaces and promote environmental sustainability.”
Added Khumalo: “By adopting a collaborative approach, council hopes to overcome the current challenges and achieve its goal of creating a greener, more sustainable city for its residents.”
