How do I…?
Straight answers to the things residents actually need to get done.
- How do I pay my rates?Pay your City of Bulawayo municipal account online or at Revenue Hall.
- How do I pay my water bill?Water is billed on the same City of Bulawayo municipal account as rates — pay it the same way.
- Who do I call in an emergency?Fire, ambulance and the council emergency lines for Bulawayo.
- How do I report a burst pipe or sewer?Report water and sewer faults to the City of Bulawayo call centre.
- How do I get my refuse collected or report a problem?Household refuse is meant to be collected about once a week, door to door. Service has been scaled back in parts of the city; report a missed collection or illegal dumping to the Cleansing Section.
- How do I open a rates and water account?New property owners and tenants open a City of Bulawayo municipal account (rates and water) at Revenue Hall.
- How do I report a streetlight, pothole or blocked drain?Report street-lighting, road and drainage faults to the City of Bulawayo call centre.
- How do I register a birth?Register a birth and collect a birth certificate at the Registrar General (Civil Registry) in Bulawayo.
- How do I register a death and arrange a burial?Register the death at the Registrar General and collect the death certificate; the council manages the cemeteries and grave booking.
- How do I get or replace a national ID?Apply for a first national ID, or replace a lost one, at the Registrar General (Civil Registry) in Bulawayo.
- How do I apply for a passport?Apply for a Zimbabwean e-passport at the Bulawayo passport office (Mhlahlandlela / Msiteli Government Complex).
- How do I register to vote?Register at any ZEC district or provincial office with your ID and proof of residence. Registration is continuous, all year round.
- How do I pay a traffic fine, and do I have to pay on the spot?No, you do not have to pay on the spot. The law says you MAY admit guilt and pay a deposit fine; if you would rather contest it, you can decline and be summoned to court instead.
- What do I do if my car is clamped in town?Bulawayo's clamping by-law gives you more than most people realise: the ticket must come with the clamp, you have at least two hours before they can tow, and you are owed a receipt and a duplicate ticket.
- How do I get a learner's licence?Apply to a VID examiner, sit the written test, and you hold it for 12 months. The minimum age is 16 for a car.
- How do I get my driver's licence?Pass the road test with a VID examiner and pay the production fee. For a car that is US$25 for the test plus US$15 on passing.
- How do I license my vehicle (the ZINARA disc)?Pay ZINARA by vehicle mass and term. For a light car up to 1500kg it is US$40 for four months, up to US$120 for the year. Since July 2025 you also need a ZBC radio licence first.