Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart Calls for Honest Reflection on Council’s Performance

10 December 2025

Nokusa Masuku

Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has delivered a frank and urgent call for accountability and improved service delivery, as the Bulawayo City Council reaches the halfway point of its five-year term.

Speaking during a full council meeting, Mayor Coltart reflected on the last 2.5 years, saying progress had been disappointing in many critical areas such as water supply, sewage management, infrastructure development, and community service delivery.

”When I look back at some of the goals that we started, I see many goals that have not been achieved. It starts with big issues, delivery of water, have we really improved on the delivery of water to residents?

“Have we really made progress for example on the upgrading of Ncema Pump station in the provision of solar power to pump Ncema? Have we made progress on the Glassblock Dam? I have to say …I’m deeply frustrated,” he said with disappointment.

Key issues highlighted included the stalled Glassblock Dam project, the lack of progress on the NEMA pump station upgrade, blocked sewer systems, and delays in basic projects such as fixing the City Hall fountain despite affordable private quotes.

He also lamented missed opportunities, such as the city’s failure to take up free satellite housing valuation technology offered by the University of Toronto a year ago.

”A year ago, the University of Toronto wrote to us and offered to provide us with cutting egde technology to use satellite technology to identify the size of houses that could be used for evaluation purposes.

“A year on we have not progressed on that and it’s a free offer. It doesn’t involve us in any money and I could spend literally probably half an hour going through other things we have not delivered on and it even goes down to small trivial things,” lamented the Mayor.

Senator Coltart urged councillors, city management, and all stakeholders to unite and work constructively ahead of the upcoming strategic planning retreat in Masvingo. He called for concrete, measurable goals for the next five years, rather than vague promises.