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Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
Government has released $1 million to Harare City Council to repair and upgrade collapsed sewer systems mostly in the cholera-prone high density suburbs while the city, which has an open budget towards the programme, has also deployed teams from other areas to assist in the western suburbs.

The city has also halted water disconnections to ensure that residents have water supplies in the wake of the cholera outbreak, which has claimed 25 lives so far.

In an interview after touring some of the areas in Glen View and Kuwadzana, Acting Town Clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango said the city was also removing rubbish dumps in the affected areas.

“As part of our response to cholera outbreak in Harare, we have moved into Glen View, Budiriro, Kuwadzana and Mufakose since last week.

“We are repairing and upgrading some of the sewer pipes that had collapsed,” he said.

“We have deployed all our machines to make sure that we upgrade our lines so that our sewage will continue to flow properly.

“We have beefed up the teams with personnel from Waterfalls and from Mabelreign, but we are also keeping an eye on those areas to make sure that they are also manned so that we do not transfer the crisis.”

He said the city was targeting to clear all the backlog on blocked sewers.

Eng Chisango said the city was also maintaining a presence in the areas to make sure that wherever there is a burst pipe, it is quickly attended to so that the majority of the people continue to get water.

“We are also working on removing rubbish dumps in the area and clearing all the drains so that we clean the area and reduce exposure of the people to the disease,” he said.

“We have spoken to the Ministry of Finance and they have promised to give us $1 million for our immediate requirements in terms of maintenance of the equipment so that most of it goes back on the road.

“From our coffers, we are just looking at funding all the immediate requirements of this programme.”

Mayor Herbert Gomba has also ordered council to stop water disconnections

“Today I have directed that council stops all water disconnections in view of the cholera outbreak, I also will ask our Mayor’s Cheer Fund board to look at paying fees for children of cholera victims,” he said.

“To all citizens, we are on the wheels dealing with this outbreak, be assured our workers are working overtime, under constant supervision and with the required instructions and instruments.

“To ratepayers and  leaseholders, please continue to pay your bills so that we transform this city.”