Vusumuzi Dube Deputy Radar Editor
BULAWAYO residents face a steep increase in municipal bills next year following a proposal by the city to raise its overall charges by 74 percent including more than doubling refuse collection fees for high-density suburbs and increasing water tariffs, as council seeks to raise millions of dollars to fund service delivery.
Under the proposed 2027 budget, the monthly refuse collection charge for high-density areas is expected to rise from US$7 to US$15.70, while households in low-density suburbs will see the tariff increasing from US$10 to US$22.43.
Water charges are also set to increase, with the proposed tariff for the first five kilolitres rising from US$0.70 to US$2.27 per kilolitre, while consumption above five and up to 14 kilolitres would attract a charge of US$2.74 per kilolitre, up from US$1.22.
The proposals, contained in the City of Bulawayo’s 2027 proposed budget, are likely to place additional pressure on household budgets already stretched by the cost of living, although the tariffs are presented as illustrative balancing charges subject to affordability decisions.
Council officials are currently going around various wards holding consultative meetings regarding the proposed budget, which according to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is a set condition for the budget to be approved.
The budget also proposes a US$100 special roads levy to finance road maintenance in residential areas and introduces a US$2 public lighting tariff intended to support the maintenance of streetlights and tower lights.
Council expects the additional charges to generate US$45 million in revenue.
The proposed increases come as the local authority seeks to finance water and sewer infrastructure, road rehabilitation, refuse collection, public lighting and other essential services across the city.
The budget’s ward-by-ward illustrations show the potential scale of the increase in household bills. The proposed charges vary across the city’s 29 wards, with the council’s budget presentation showing estimated monthly bills ranging from US$64.86 to US$153.66, depending on the ward.
Ward 1’s monthly bill is projected to rise from US$76.39 to US$133.15, while Ward 2’s charge would increase from US$50.48 to US$87.99.
Ward 3’s bill is projected to rise from US$66.97 to US$116.73, while Ward 4 would see an increase from US$88.16 to US$153.66. In Ward 5, the proposed charge is US$116.55, up from US$66.87.
For the remaining wards, the presentation gives the following proposed monthly totals; wards 7, 9 and 13, US$64.86 up from US$37.21, Wards 6, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 28 and 29; US$66.10 up from US$37.92, while wards 8, 14, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 the monthly rates will increase to US$69.37 from US$39.80.
The council’s calculations include 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT), assume monthly water consumption of nine kilolitres and calculate sewer charges at 70 percent of water consumed.
Council’s proposed expenditure for 2027 stands at about US$457.9 million, against projected income of US$318.2 million, leaving a shortfall of approximately US$139.7 million.
The budget provides for US$327.8 million in recurrent expenditure and US$130.08 million for capital projects. The capital programme is expected to be funded through a combination of borrowing, the Public Sector Investment Programme, land sales, parking revenue, council’s own resources and other sources.
The proposed capital programme includes US$26.5 million for water and sewer infrastructure, US$25.7 million for roads and storm-water drainage, US$18.1 million for sporting development facilities, US$17.8 million for social amenities, US$6.5 million for electricity infrastructure, US$4.1 million for health facilities and US$3.5 million for education facilities.
Among the water projects listed are the renewal of water mains, reticulation in Woodville and Mganwini, rehabilitation of treatment and pumping equipment, and the installation of domestic water meters.
The city has also earmarked US$4 million for citywide pothole patching and another US$4 million for servicing new areas. Other road projects include work on Basch Street, Wellington Road, Adair Drive, Cowdray Park roads and sections of the central business district.
The proposed expenditure reflects the competing demands facing the local authority as it seeks to maintain ageing infrastructure while extending services to developing residential areas.
Council’s budget assumptions include a stable economy, slower price increases and improved household purchasing power. Its forecasts also anticipate households keeping up with payments, modest growth in property development and continued risks associated with El Niño-related drought.
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