Alert - BPRA Weekend Activities (2 & 3 February 2013)

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) will be holding three consultative meetings this weekend (2 & 3 February 2013) in Magwegwe (ward 29), Nketa (ward 24) and Entumbane (ward 10). The meetings will provide platforms for dialogue between residents of the respective wards and representatives from Bulawayo City Council (BCC), the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) on pertinent issues of service delivery related to the operations of the institutions.

BCC is expected to give the feedback on the city’s water situation, disconnection of water for residents with arrears and other service delivery issues related to BCC’s operations, while ZRP is expected to address the residents  on crime rates and other issues related to their operations. Meanwhile ZESA is expected to explain its metering exercise to residents and respond to queries on a faulty billing system and load shedding. The association is holding these meetings as part of its mandate to ensure that residents have an influence in service delivery and that holders of public office and service providers are held accountable for their actions.

Meetings schedule

DATE	VENUE	TIME	WARD	AGENDA
02/02/2013	Church of Christ	2pm – 5pm	29	BCC, ZRP & ZESA operations
03/02/2013	Nketa Hall	10am – 1pm	24	BCC, ZRP & ZESA operations
03/02/2013	Entumbane Hall	2pm – 5pm	10	BCC, ZRP & ZESA operations

Regards

Information Department

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association

Bus. Tel: +263 9 61196

Cell: +263 772 516 729

Website: www.bulawayoresidents.org

Past Weekend Activities Report (Date: 28/01/2013)

The councillor for ward 22, who is also the Mayor of Bulawayo,
Clr Thaba Moyo addresses residents at Nkulumane Hall on Saturday
26 January 2013

                                        

THIS past weekend (26 - 27 January 2013) Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) held four consultative meetings in Nkulumane, Pumula North, Old Pumula and Luveve. The meetings provided platforms for residents to engage with their respective councillors on pertinent issues of service delivery and local governance. Representatives from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) had also been invited to the meetings, but they were not able to attend the meetings.

The major issues discussed at the meetings included:

         

      The water crisis in Bulawayo – Councillors told residents that the water committee would be meeting on Wednesday 30 January 2013 to discuss the water crisis where a decision would be made to either reduce water shedding days or leave them at the current four days a week.

-     Refuse collection – The councillors and the residents in attendance castigated residents for littering and illegal dumping of refuse. The issues of irregular collection of refuse by the local authority and the fact that residents have no bins were not raised. However councillors argued that BCC could only collect refuse twice every month due to unavailability of refuse compactors and shortage of funds.

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        Road Maintenance – Speaking at the meeting held in Nkulumane, Mayor Thaba Moyo hinted that there was a need for roads in the city to be overhauled and new ones built. He overtly stated that patching of potholes was not working as the patching was washed away whenever rains began.

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         Property Maintenance - Residents bemoaned the poor state of council property, including halls, arguing that BCC was neglecting its properties. Councillors responded by saying that there was a need for properties to be maintained, but the local authority was facing financial challenges because residents were unable to pay their bills due to the harsh economic climate prevailing in the country.

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A resident makes a contribution during the meeting held at
Nkulumane Hall

      By-laws on informal traders - Residents urged the local authority to relax some of its by-laws with regards to informal traders, arguing that high unemployment had left most residents reliant on vending and small scale trading. They said the country was in an abnormal situation, hence it was absurd to adhere to laws that were crafted for normal situations. They thus requested that municipal police be lenient on residents trading without licenses.

Regards

Information Department

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association

Bus. Tel: +263 9 61196

Cell: +263 773 788 183

Website: www.bulawayoresidents.org

BPRA Weekend Activities Alert (26 & 27 January 2013)

                                         

This weekend (26-27 January 2013) Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) will be holding four consultative meetings in the wards. The meetings will provide platforms for residents to engage with representatives from the Bulawayo City Council (BCC)  and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) on pertinent issues to do with the operations of the two institutions.

The consultative meetings are meant to discuss service delivery issues at ward level. ZRP is expected to address the residents on police operations and security while BCC is expected to give the residents feedback on the water crisis in Bulawayo, the local authority’s faulty billing system and other service delivery issues related to the work of BCC. The idea behind the holding of the meetings is to promote a culture of accountability in the operations of service providers so that the concerns of residents are addressed and service delivery improved.

Meetings schedule

DATE	WARD	VENUE	TIME	AGENDA
26/01/2013	22	Nkulumane Hall	10am – 1pm	BCC and ZRP Operations
26/01/2013	19	Pumula Old Hall	2pm – 5pm	BCC and ZRP operations
27/01/2013	15	Beit Hall	10am – 1pm	BCC and ZRP Operations
27/01/2013	17	Pumula North Hall	2pm – 5pm	BCC and ZRP Operations

Regards

Information Department

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association

Bus. Tel: +263 9 61196

Cell: +263 773 788 183

Website: www.bulawayoresidents.org

“Residents not Ready for Electricity Tariff Hike” – BPRA tells ZERA

Bulawayo residents, under the aegis of the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) on Friday 30 November 2012 told the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) that the residents of Bulawayo and citizens of Zimbabwe at large will not be able to cope with a hike in electricity tariffs. The residents were speaking at a meeting held between ZERA representatives and members of BPRA who included chairpersons from the association’s various committees across the city. ZERA is holding meetings with stakeholders across the country to get their input regarding a proposal by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) to increase tariffs.

Residents told the ZERA representatives that residents would not be able to pay their bills if tariffs were increased due to the harsh economic climate in the country that was making it difficult for them to pay their electricity dues at the current rates. They argued that if there was a tariff adjustment, it would have to be downwards as service delivery by ZESA was appalling, and residents struggling to settle their bills. BPRA also used the meeting to register its dismay with continued load shedding in the country, and continued disconnection of residents with outstanding bills. The residents also argued that an increase in tariffs should be preceded by an improvement in quality of services by ZESA, not the other way round.

Regards

Information Department

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association

Bus. Tel: +263 9 61196

Cell: +263 773 788 183

Website: www.bprazim.org

BPRA Holds Social Accountability Conference

Residents follow proceedings at a conference held by Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) last year

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) will on Saturday 10 November 2012 hold a Social Accountability Conference meant to provide a platform for residents to dialogue with ministers in the inclusive government on critical issues of development and governance. The conference, which will be held at the Large City Hall from 0900hrs to 1700hrs will run under the theme “The Right to Know.” The main objective of the conference is to strengthen the role of residents as engaged partners in the governance process and to stimulate local participation through engagement between the residents and holders of public office.  At least 1200 delegates, mostly residents’ leaders from all of Bulawayo’s 29 wards are expected to attend the conference. Other delegates will be drawn from political parties, civil society and the religious sector. Speakers expected at the conference include the Minister of Water Resources Development and Management, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, the Minister of State Enterprises and Parastatals, Honourable Gorden Moyo, the Minister of Education, Sports Arts and Culture, Hon David Coltart and the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Honourable Welshman Ncube. Deputy Prime Minister, Honourable Thokozani Khupe is expected to officially open the conference.

The holding of the Social Accountability Conference is based on BPRA’s belief that holders of public office should account to citizens for the work they do, as they are ultimately in office at their behest and meant to advance public interests. In line with this, the various ministers are expected to account to the residents of Bulawayo, explaining what their ministries have been doing towards enhancing development and promoting the welfare of residents.  Minister Sipepa is expected to update residents on what his ministry is doing to end Bulawayo’s water woes. He is expected to focus on progress with the Mtshabezi pipeline, the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project and other projects meant to end Matabeleland’s water problems. Meanwhile, Minister Moyo is expected to dwell on progress being made by his ministry to resuscitate parastatals in light of the fact that most of them are under-capitalised and failing to operate profitably and competitively. Minister Coltart is expected to update residents on steps being taken by the government to improve education in the country, and particularly in Matabeleland which has complained of marginalisation in education. Lastly, Minister Ncube is expected to appraise residents on efforts by his ministry to improve the performance of industries as a central tool towards spurring economic growth in the country. Inevitably, he will also have to answer questions on the issue of the Distressed and Marginalised Areas Fund (DIMAF) which most people feel has failed to solve problems of de-industrialisation in Matabeleland.

This will not be the first time that BPRA holds a conference of this nature. The association held its first Social Accountability Conference in 2012 which was attended by 800 delegates. Its follow up conference, a Service Delivery Conference which was held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair on 11 September 2012 was graced by 2000 delegates.

Alert – BPRA Weekend Activities (2, 3 and 4 November 2012)

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association shall be holding Constituency Consultative Meetings in Bulawayo this weekend to unpack the COPAC Draft Constitution to the residents of Bulawayo. The moral imperative behind the initiative is to augment and reinforce mechanisms of popular control by bringing Members of Parliament, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and residents to a point of dialogue  concerning the draft constitution and solidify their position regarding the direction which the country should take, ahead of the referendum. It is the conviction of the association that there is need to minimise the hegemony of political parties in dominating the debates  around the remaining stages of the constitution making process and to take the discussions to the communities to ensure that residents become engaged and informed partners.

The schedule for the meetings is as follows:

 Upcoming Constituency Meetings Schedule

Date	Constituency	Time	Venue	speakers
Fri. 2 Nov.	City Centre & Sauerstown, Trenace	1600hrs-1900hrs	Presbyterian Church (City Church)	COPAC representatives, CSO and BPRA representatives
Sat. 3 Nov.	Makhokhoba, Thorngrove &B.F, Mzilikazi	1400hrs-1700hrs	Stanley  Hall	COPAC representatives, CSO and BPRA representatives
Sat. 3 Nov.	Sizinda/  Tshabalala & B.G, Bellevue	1400hrs-1700hrs	Tshabalala Hall	COPAC representatives, CSO and BPRA representatives
Sun. 4 Nov.	Nketa 6, 7, 8, 9 & Emganwini	1000hrs-1300hrs	Nketa Hall	COPAC representatives, CSO and BPRA representatives
Sun. 4 Nov.	Suburbs, Queen’s Park, Waterford & Burnside	1400hrs-1700hrs	School of Mines	COPAC representatives, CSO and BPRA representatives

Regards

Information Department

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association

Bus. Tel: +263 9 61196

Cell: +263 772 516 729

Website: www.bulawayoresidents.org

Twitter: @byopra

Facebook: www.facebook/uhlelo.lwezakhamizi

Blog: bprainfo.blogspot.com

Press Release - Mayor's Comments on Emganwini Demonstration Disturbing

Press Release - 30 October 2012

Date:               30 October 2012

Contact:         Emmanuel Ndlovu

                        Programmes and Advocacy Manager

                        Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)

            Mayor’s Comments on Emganwini Demonstration Disturbing

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) is concerned that the Mayor of Bulawayo, Thaba Moyo does not understand his mandate as the Mayor of the city as witnessed by his response to the demonstration that was held by residents from the Millennium Housing Area in Emganwini last week. The residents on Friday 26 October 2012 stormed Nketa Housing Office demanding ownership of the houses that were built by Australian donors and allocated to them 10 years ago. They called for an explanation from the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) arguing that in their understanding the houses were completely paid for hence they did not understand why they have to pay monthly rentals over and above service charges. In his response, the Mayor reportedly said the local authority was not going to do “anything until they (the residents) talk to us (the local authority) using proper channels.” He also reportedly argued that the houses were “specifically for renting purposes.”

BPRA believes that Mayor Moyo was out of order in making the above statements. It is the association’s belief that the local authority, and particularly the Mayor and councillors are in their positions at the behest of the residents and should focus on addressing the concerns of the residents. For the Mayor to boldly declare in a national newspaper that the local authority will not respond to the residents’ concerns is a sign of arrogance and is tantamount to negligence of duty. BPRA sees the Mayor’s remarks as emblematic of a culture of self importance and arrogance that characterises holders of public office in the country who fail to prioritise the interests of the masses because they develop a god complex once they get into positions of power. BPRA would like to remind holders of public office such as Mayor Moyo that they were voted into their offices by the residents and should always thrive to work in the interests of the residents and avoid putting their egos in the way of developmental work.

It is the association’s contention that the concerns raised by the residents of Emganwini’s Millennium Housing Scheme are genuine and need to be urgently addressed by BCC. For the Mayor to say the residents used improper channels is neither here nor there as the message in the petitions and the placards they were waving was clear. BPRA believes BCC should put its ego aside and address the residents as quickly as possible.

Regards

............................................................

Emmanuel Ndlovu

Programmes Manager

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)