06/05/2026
🚰 Stakeholders Tour Bulawayo’s Major Water Supply Dams Amid Growing Concerns Over Illegal Mining Activities
Yesterday, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) conducted a tour of Bulawayo’s major water supply dams as part of ongoing efforts to assess the State of Bulawayo's water Supply Dams and engage authorities on the prevailing water supply situation affecting the city. The tour covered Umzingwane and Upper Ncema dams.
The dams audit tour brought together key stakeholders including representatives from the City of Bulawayo, the Ministry of Local Government, the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and community leaders, creating a platform for stakeholders to collectively appreciate the current state of the city’s water sources and ongoing challenges within the catchment areas.
At Upper Ncema Dam, stakeholders were taken through illegal mining activities currently taking place around the dam site by Bulawayo City Council Engineer Gwethu. Concerns were raised over the environmental and public health risks posed by the activities, particularly the use of chemicals in mining processes which risk being deposited into the dam and contaminating Bulawayo’s water sources. The discussions highlighted the importance of protecting water catchment areas to safeguard the city’s long-term water security.
Stakeholders also toured Umzingwane Dam, which had been decommissioned during the 2022/23 season due to low rainfall. The dam is now reportedly around 46% full, a development that may offer some relief to Bulawayo’s ongoing water supply pressures.
The tour forms part of broader efforts to strengthen stakeholder engagement, information sharing, and collective action around Bulawayo’s water situation and the need for sustainable long-term interventions.
