The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Monday, March 2, 1992 — Tempers flared yesterday as residents of Nketa discussed water control measures introduced by the Bulawayo City Council at a meeting called by the local councillor and addressed by the Mayor of Bulawayo, Alderman Nelson Sidanile.

A resident asked how the council was controlling the use of water by households in the area which do not have meters.

Alderman Sidanile replied that some of the people without meters were conscious of the water crisis and were doing all that was expected of them.

To this, the crowd booed and shouted, in disapproval. Ald Sidanile went on to explain that council was in the process of inserting flowrestriction discs at all houses which do not have meters. The discs, he said, would also be inserted at houses with meters if the owners continuously exceeded their limit.

“I am appealing to people in the city to try where possible to use half the amount of the water they are allowed per day. I am aware that there are some people who are still watering their gardens, but it is your duty as residents of the city to report them to the council,” he said.

On the lack of electricity in the suburb which has resulted in the cutting down of trees for firewood — Ald Sidanile appealed to people to stop destroying the vegetation and urged them to use paraffin and coal.

The mayor also promised the residents that council and Ministry of Education and Culture officials would work together to solve the problem of overcrowding at the local primary school.

Earlier, the local councillor, Clr Charles Mpofu, told the meeting that the problem of overcrowding was serious and that some children from Nketa 9 were walking for about 5km to get to the nearest school. He appealed to the city fathers to build another school in Nketa 9.