BEITBRIDGE Municipality has proposed a US$15 955 221,89 budget for the 2025 financial year with its main focus towards resolving its nagging water problems, sanitation and hygienic challenges.
More than US$5 million will be channelled towards water, sanitation and hygiene, while their second largeest allocation of US$3 660 615,05 is dedicated towards social services.
The budget proposal by head of the finance committee and deputy mayor of the border town, John Manatsa, set aside US$3 211 697,76, which is 20%, towards governance and administration.
Some US$3 078 278,27, translating to 19% of the budget proposed before a special full council meeting attended by several Beitbridge stakeholders and residents, will be channelled towards the town’s badly needed roads.
He allocated 4% of the budget proposal towards public safety.
“Sentiments expressed on the 2025 proposed budget during the consultation meetings focused on improving supply of water and health services, a swift response to sewer bursts, providing trafficable roads, enhancing security through installing public solar streetlights, providing social amenities and facilities for the youth, improving road infrastructure as it enhances accessibility and triggers economic growth and also bringing order in the town,” Manatsa said.
He said the governance and administration programme, allocated US$3 078 278,27, is a cluster of departments and sections providing support in council.
“In essence, these are the councillors, town clerks department, finance department, the administration and human resources department, audit section and technical services,” Manatsa said.
- Zinwa, BCC fight for control of treatment plants
- Zinwa, BCC fight for control of treatment plants
- Water shortages hit Gutu-Mpandawana
- Feature: Model shift: Climate change forces Zim to finally take up irrigation
Keep Reading
On water, sanitation and hygiene, Beitbridge faces tough challenges given its inability to consistently supply water of late owing to its seemingly endless battles with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) providing raw water.
Recently Zinwa failed to supply water to Beitbridge after its inland reserve dams dried up due to lack of supply.
Apparently, the water body blamed the failure to drought, but investigations showed they had not been pumping water to storage dams fed from the Limpopo River.
In a statement, Zinwa said water shortages were a result of drought although residents said they received water in years with droughts that were far worse than the current one.
Beitbridge Municipality has also been warned against construction of houses upstream of the dams, which could result in sewer bursts flowing into feeder dams.
Recently, Beitbridge town clerk Loud Ramakgapola said his office would guard against building of houses upstream of the dams.
