BULAWAYO— The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is facing public backlash following the disappearance of 285 drums of bitumen and other critical road repair materials, reportedly stolen from the Kelvin North Depot.
The total value of the stolen items is estimated at over US$82,000.
The incident, which was reported to the Western Commonage Police on 6 June 2025, has prompted calls for disciplinary measures and a review of internal systems by city councillors concerned about poor oversight.
Among the missing supplies are nine drums of Stable 60, estimated at US$2,142, and 20 drums of MC30, valued at US$6,480. The materials used for essential road resurfacing work are priced per litre at US$1.45 for bitumen, US$1.19 for Stable 60, and US$1.62 for MC30.
The theft comes at a time when residents are demanding urgent improvements to Bulawayo’s crumbling road network, making the loss even more damaging to public trust in the city’s leadership and service delivery.
