Challenges in Service Delivery and Infrastructure Development
Residents of Bulilima and Mangwe districts in Matabeleland South continue to face significant challenges when accessing basic government services. These communities often have to travel to Plumtree Town, a situation attributed to stalled infrastructure development, budgetary constraints, and poor planning. Despite long-standing government promises to decentralize services under the national devolution policy, progress has been minimal.
This lack of progress has raised concerns among local leaders and community members. They argue that the absence of effective service delivery not only hampers development but also deepens poverty in already marginalized rural areas. Former Plumtree Town Council chairperson alderman Paulos Vini Hobane highlighted that the government approved the establishment of service centers in both Bulilima and Mangwe years ago. However, these centers remain non-functional due to the absence of critical infrastructure.
“People from Bulilima and Mangwe are still traveling to Plumtree Town to access essential services because there is a lack of infrastructure at their designated service centers, which were long approved by the government as part of implementing the devolution policy,” Hobane said. “This hampers development in these centers and in the districts at large.”
Hobane pointed to the collapse of the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP), which once supported local authority development, as a major contributor to the stagnation. He emphasized that budgetary constraints have been a key issue. “The PSIP, which sustained the viability of local authorities, no longer exists. On top of that, local authorities lack borrowing powers to fund development.”
The burden on residents, who must travel long distances for basic services like birth and death certificates, passport applications, and medical care, has left many disillusioned. “If people have to travel such long and expensive journeys just to access basic services, it clearly reflects a total lack of development,” he said. “These communities are living in poverty and are dissatisfied.”
Plumtree Town Council chairman and current Ward 6 councillor, Similo Ndlovu, also highlighted infrastructure deficits as the main reason why essential services remain concentrated in Plumtree. “Essential services, such as banks, funeral parlours, the District Hospital and registry offices, are all found in Plumtree Town,” Ndlovu said. “That’s due to limited infrastructure in Bulilima and Mangwe. Until these two RDCs [Rural District Councils] have similar institutions, people will continue coming to Plumtree.”
While the government has disbursed some devolution funds, Ndlovu said the resources were inadequate and often eroded by inflation before they could be effectively utilized. “Local authorities do appreciate government efforts, but the funds are simply not enough. They also come late, and by the time they arrive, hyperinflation has already affected their value.”
Ndlovu added that many councils were financially constrained, partly due to struggling ratepayers and weak revenue bases. “Ratepayers in rural areas often lack disposable incomes, which makes it difficult for councils to meet budgetary obligations,” he said. “This weakens our ability to drive development.”
He also criticized the continued centralization of high-value services such as vehicle licensing and passport processing. “These services are potential revenue sources, but they remain centralized, depriving local authorities of income. This centralization also delays service delivery due to bureaucracy.”
Despite the hurdles, the council boss said there were ongoing efforts to relocate administrative services to Ingwizi in Mangwe and Madlambudzi in Bulilima. Former Bulilima district administrator, Ethel Moyo, confirmed that most services remain centralized in Plumtree, as the proposed district centers — Ingwizi for Mangwe and Masendu for Bulilima — are not yet fully equipped.
“The local authorities are still housed in Plumtree, and everything is centralised. There is an urgent need to decentralise some services,” Moyo said. She added that delays in funding and poor prioritization by local authorities have further weakened devolution efforts.
“From what I observed during my time, Mangwe has made some efforts, a few lower-level staff are now based in Ingwizi, but I am not sure about Bulilima. The disbursement of funds is inconsistent and sometimes doesn’t come at all.”