Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Bulawayo City Council says the city’s water-shedding programme is a major cause of recurring sewage overflows and water pipe bursts, with the ageing network unable to withstand repeated interruptions to water supply.

Ward 23 councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo, who chairs the council’s Health, Housing and Education Committee, said the city’s ageing infrastructure was designed for a continuous flow of water rather than the frequent opening and closing of valves required under the current rationing system.

Speaking to CITE, Khumalo said the intermittent supply places significant pressure on the network, leading to frequent failures.

“The main problem that we have is water shedding, which is contributing to sewage bursts because these pipes are not meant to be opened and closed. When the pipes are closed and later reopened, that is when we experience pipe bursts,” she said.

“If residents report these bursts to the city council as soon as they occur, they can be resolved. However, the next time water is restored, the pipes may burst in a different location, not necessarily where repairs were carried out.”

Bulawayo has relied on water shedding for years because of limited supplies in its dams, forcing the local authority to ration water to residents.

Khumalo said the long-term solution was to restore a continuous daily water supply, which would reduce stress on the ageing infrastructure.

“Our expectation is that the whole of Bulawayo gets water every day. The problem is the opening and closing of the valves, which gives us these challenges. The pipes were designed to remain open and have a continuous flow of water, not to be closed. As a result, we end up with sewage bursts and pipe bursts, and clean water is also lost,” she said.

She said the council had begun replacing old water pipes as part of efforts to modernise the network, although the benefits had yet to be fully realised because water shedding remained in place.

“Currently, we have contracted companies to replace these old pipes. This initiative started last year. The contractors are on the ground right now, but the results are not really visible because of the water shedding,” Khumalo said.

She also urged residents to stop dumping waste into drains and sewer systems, saying blockages were worsening sewage problems.

“Another solution is raising awareness among residents to stop dumping waste into drainages because when we open the pipes, we find sand, teaspoons and other waste,” she said.

Khumalo said the council had already increased the number of hours that residents receive water and expressed hope that improved supplies from Mzingwane and Insiza dams would further ease pressure on the city’s water system.

“We have also increased the hours of water supply across the City of Bulawayo. If the pipes connected to Mzingwane and Insiza Dam are fixed and the dams are able to provide more water, we will have enough water and reduce water shedding in the city,” she said.

A Bulawayo legislator has tabled a motion in Parliament urging the government to significantly reduce the cost of validating old title deeds and extend the programme’s deadline by at least two years, warning that thousands of Zimbabweans risk exclusion because they cannot afford the process.

For homeowners processing and validating digitised title deeds under the national programme, official costs include an initial US$10 application processing fee, followed by a mandatory US$200 validation and securitisation fee.

The exact out-of-pocket costs can vary based on one’s specific property status and location.

Emakhandeni-Luveve Member of Parliament Discent Collins Bajila has filed a Notice of Motion on the Validation and Securitisation of Old Title Deeds Programme, calling on the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to review the implementation of Statutory Instrument (SI) 76 of 2025, which introduced the nationwide exercise.

The motion, seconded by Bulawayo North MP, Minenhle Gumede, acknowledges that modernising Zimbabwe’s Deeds Registry is an important step but argues the programme’s costs and timelines place an unfair burden on ordinary property owners.

The motion notes that while the objective of improving “the security, integrity and reliability of Zimbabwe’s land administration system is commendable,” the regulations require holders of old title deeds to submit them for validation within 24 months.

It further notes that under Section 44 of the regulations, old title deeds “will cease to be recognised after that period unless the Minister extends the deadline by notice in the Gazette.”

The motion argues the fees prescribed under the Second Schedule of the regulations have become a major obstacle for many homeowners.

It states the charges “collectively, place a significant financial burden on ordinary homeowners, pensioners, low-income earners and families across Zimbabwe.”

Bajila also warned many Zimbabweans, particularly those living in rural and remote communities, face additional barriers beyond affordability.

The motion notes that many citizens have limited access to information, legal assistance and financial resources, making compliance within the prescribed timeframe difficult.

It further cautions that failure to participate in the programme could have serious consequences for property owners.

“Failure by property owners to participate in the programme within the stipulated period could expose them to uncertainty regarding proof of ownership, impede access to credit and undermine confidence in Zimbabwe’s property rights system,” the motion states.

To address these concerns, Bajila is urging Parliament to resolve that the Justice Minister implements several key reforms before the programme progresses further.

The motion’s first recommendation calls on the government to “review and substantially reduce the fees and administrative charges associated with the Title Deeds Validation and Securitisation Programme to make the exercise affordable to ordinary Zimbabweans.”

Secondly, Bajila proposes that vulnerable groups should receive financial relief through a targeted subsidy programme.

He recommends that the government “introduces a fee waiver or subsidised fee structure for pensioners, persons with disabilities, beneficiaries of social protection programmes, low-income households and other vulnerable groups.”

The motion also seeks a significant extension of the programme’s implementation period.

Bajila wants the Minister to “extend the current validation deadline by not less than 24 additional months through the mechanism provided for under section 44(1) of Statutory Instrument 76 of 2025 to allow all eligible property owners adequate time to comply.”

In addition, the motion recommends establishing mobile registration and validation centres in every province and district to improve access, particularly for rural communities, while also calling for a nationwide public awareness campaign to make sure citizens fully understand the programme’s requirements and benefits.

This parliamentary intervention comes amid growing public debate over the title deeds validation and securitisation programme, implemented through Zimbabwe’s Digital Land Administration platform.

The government said the initiative is intended to modernise the country’s land administration system by replacing the decades-old paper-based property registration process with a secure digital registry.

Officials argue digitisation will strengthen property rights, improve confidence in the real estate sector and reduce the growing risk of title deed fraud.

Deputy Chief Registrar in the Department of Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property Elizabeth Nyagura recently defended the programme, saying Zimbabwe’s existing deeds registry remains vulnerable because it relies on a system inherited from the colonial era.

“The current system that we have is one that we inherited,” Nyagura said during a recent interview.

“Therefore the objective of SI 76 of 2025 is to strengthen property rights and also to make sure that confidence in the local real estate sector is actually improved.”

Legal and property experts have similarly defended the validation exercise, saying it is intended to secure ownership records rather than deprive citizens of their property.

While some support the principle behind the programme, concerns continue to centre on its implementation, as property owners have questioned why they are required to validate title deeds already legally recognised.

This has seen citizens raising concerns over affordability, transparency and whether the process could expose them to fraud or unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.