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Council ‘incapacitated’ to collect refuse

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Council ‘incapacitated’ to collect refuse

A bin at Cnr Simon Muzenda and Josiah Tongogara

 Kimberly Kusauka

MASVINGO – Masvingo
Urban Ward 8 councillor Against Chiteme, who is the chairperson of the Health, Housing and
Environmental Services Committee said council is incapacitated to collect
refuse in the city.  

Chiteme said, the council was struggling to have a viable fleet that can timely collect
refuse both in the Central Business District (CBD) and residential suburbs.

Refuse
collection problems in Masvingo will persist for the foreseeable future as Masvingo
City Council’s refuse compactors fleet continues to deteriorate.

“Our
Health department has been incapacitated. Most of our trucks are down and being
worked upon but we have a target to secure another refuse compactor this year.
We are very committed to provide quality service delivery and I am sure we
would have acquired a new refuse compactor before year, ” said Chiteme.

Bins
have been going for days without being collected in the CBD, with litter being
strewn all over in front of buildings, posing a health risk.

Mayor
Collen Maboke concurred saying he was disappointed as city father to see
pictures of waste circulating on social media purporting to have gone for days
without being collected.

“I
have seen pictures on WhatsApp of litter bins at some business complexes which will
be full to capacity. This is very bad for our city and doesn’t give a good
picture. We should make sure that refuse is collected more efficiently so we
are working tirelessly to make sure that our refuse compactors are up and
running,” said Maboke.

Sometime
ago, council flighted a tender advert seeking to privatize refuse collection
but all of the five tenders which were received failed to meet the
requirements.

Acting
Town Clerk, Eng Edward Mukaratirwa revealed that the local authority will soon
flight another tender and that they were working towards securing another
refuse compactor.

“We
received five responses to the tender of procurement but unfortunately all
responses didn’t meet the requirements. However, we are preparing another
tender and it will be out soon,” said Mukaratirwa.

Council
has a refuse collection schedule but one or two refuse compactors which will be
up and running are failing to cover enough ground.

Refuse
collection has been on the low in the city and this has left residents with no
option but to dump waste at undesignated points.

Govt institutions owe council $100m

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Govt institutions owe council $100m
Masvingo City council offices

Clayton Shereni

MASVINGO-
Government departments and institutions owe city of Masvingo close to $100m in
unpaid bills, it was revealed during a full council meeting held recently.
Organisations that resorted to using borehole water have also contributed to
this ballooning debt as they become reluctant to pay their dues to the council.

Institutions
which have topped the list over the years include Zimbabwe Republic Police
(ZRP), Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS), Zimbabwe National Army
(ZNA), colleges and schools.

“The
report of the Finance Director on Institutional Debtors totaling $99 350 261.52
for the month of April 2021 was noted. It was highlighted that institutions
with boreholes were reluctant to settle their bills since they would rely on
borehole water,” read council minutes.

Some
councilors had previously advised council management to enforce payment by
closing all ‘illegal’ boreholes at these institutions.

“The
Committee raised concern on increasing number of illegal boreholes in the
commonage, also raising fears that the borehole water would be connected to the
municipal water system thereby exposing the whole city to potential
contamination.

“The
Acting Director of Engineering Services was therefore instructed to prepare a
full list of boreholes in the city with a view to close all illegal boreholes
and charge them a fine for illegal installation of the same,” the minutes read.

Speaking
during a recently held full council meeting, Ward 10 Cllr Sengerayi Manyanga
said the council’s finance department were not active enough to engage debtors
and make them pay.

“The
Acting Finance Director and his team must go on the ground and engage debtors.
They are just sitting in the offices yet we want money here. Things are not
good for us and if we look at other cities, they are performing better than us
in terms of revenue collection,” said Manyanga.

Council
has since resolved to hand over all institutional debtors who have failed to
come forward with valid payment plans to debt collectors.

This
is not the first time council has threatened to unleash debt collectors on
institutions.

Last
year they threatened to engage debtors over ZRP’s then $11 million debt.

50 Business operators arrested for violating consumer rights

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50 Business operators arrested for violating consumer rights
Ndumiso Mgutshini


 Perpetua Murungweni

At least 50 Masvingo business operators were last week fined for breaking consumer protection laws that require them to display prices on goods and several other unlawful disclaimers in an operation held by police and the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) from May 19 to 24.

The operation, code named “AFYA”, a Swahili word for “wellness of the consumer” cracked down on business owners who were not complying with the Consumer Protection Act Sections 26 and 42 that provide for the right to disclosure of prices and information regarding goods and services. 

Masvingo CCZ Regional Officer Ndumiso Mgutshini told TellZim News that most of the business operators who were arrested were not aware of the consumer protection laws.

“Not displaying prices of goods and services is a crime and those found wanting will be subjected to payment of a fine or three months imprisonment,” Mgutshini said.

Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Kudakwashe Dhewa told TellZim News that 50 business operators were arrested during the operation.

“50 business operators were arrested and fined for not adhering to consumer protection laws as defined in Sections 26 and 42 of the Consumer Protection Act,” said Dhewa.

Business operators were also arrested for unlawful disclaimer clauses that disallow consumers from returning goods or getting refunds.

“Disclaimer clauses such as “no returns”, “no refunds” and “goods left at owner’s risk” are a crime, and business operators who displayed these clauses in their shops were arrested,” Mgutshini said. 

Four South Africans deported for breaking immigration laws

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Four South Africans deported for breaking immigration laws

 Kimberly Kusauka

Four
South African nationals have been fined and deported by a Masvingo magistrate
for entering the country without presenting themselves to
immigration officers at Beitbridge Border Post.

The
four who were arrested along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road on May 28 appeared before
magistrate Grace Tupiri on Monday May 31 and were fined ZW$10 000.

The
State alleged that on May 28 this year, Allexander Shebi (42), Ntaoleng
Sehahabane (34), Nnana Matsheng (35) and Confidence Nyingwashe (34) were
travelling along Masvingo-Beitbridge road in a Nissan Pathfinder owned by a
Zimbabwean national Innocent Mbudaya.

The
four were stopped by police at the 10km-peg along Masvingo-Beitbridge road, and
were asked to produce documentation for their stay in the country, which they
failed to do.

They
were then arrested and taken into police custody until they appeared in court,
after which they were deported back to South Africa.

Devolution: New healthcare facilities take shape in Gutu

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Devolution: New healthcare facilities take shape in Gutu
Mushayavanhu Clinic in Gutu

 Terrence
Ndowora

Construction of
healthcare facilities in Gutu district is nearing completion as much of the
work on the main buildings has been done, it has been learnt.

Gutu RDC Chief
Executive Officer (CEO), Alexander Mutembwa told TellZim News that Mushayavanhu
Clinic, which is in Gutu Central constituency, was almost complete.

“We are now done with
construction of the clinic main block, construction of septic tanks for sewer
system is underway, and we are focusing on constructing a staff house which
accommodates two families,” said Mutembwa.

Similar works are being
done at Ndawi Clinic in Gutu West, Muchakayaora Clinic in Gutu East, Makumbe Clinic
in Gutu North and Makwirivindi Clinic in Gutu South constituencies
respectively.

“Construction of
clinics in other constituencies is also underway. We have already procured
fencing materials for the clinics, and we have also engaged a contractor to
drill boreholes at the clinics which will be fitted with solar-powered systems,”
said Mutembwa.

Mutembwa said construction
of a vegetable flea market in Mpandawana for the youths and Small and
medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) was underway.

“As for the youth and
SMEs, we didn’t forget them. We are constructing a vegetable flea market for
them in Mpandawana. We will son complete work on two boreholes that we drilled
in Mpandawana so as to curb water shortages when we experience poor supplies by
Zinwa,” said Mutembwa.

The local authority head
said most of the devolution funds allocated to them were channeled towards the
construction of clinics and establishment of community taps so as to improve
excellent healthcare services and delivery of clean water.

Masvingo province was
allocated about $2 billion in devolution funds for 2021, from which Gutu district
got a share of about $200 million.

Police opens murder investigations on Masvingo CBD burnt body

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Police opens murder investigations on Masvingo CBD burnt body

 Veeslee Mhepo   

MASVINGO-Police
has opened murder investigations after a decomposing human body was found burnt
beyond recognition in Masvingo CBD on Monday May 31.

Masvingo
Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed that police
is suspecting murder as there were blood stains on the durawall, blood stained
bricks and burnt clothes on the human remains found on Monday.

“A
human body was found burning and in a decomposing state by Munyaradzi Mutasa after
a foul smell developed around his workplace and he informed the police who
attended the scene.

“Police
saw blood stains on the durawall, a dead human body burnt beyond recognition,
bricks and burnt clothes on the scene. They took the body to Masvingo
Provincial Hospital for postmortem. Thorough investigations are underway and we
are appealing for any information that will lead to the arrest of the
perpetrator,” Dhewa said.

A
mentally challenged man, Kelvin Matimamwe (33) who used to roam around the area
where the body was found is assisting police with investigations after he alleged
that he saw four men chasing someone around the area days before the alleged
murder.

Allegations
from vendors who work around the scene are that Matimamwe could be the number
one suspect because he was always been indicating violent tendencies.

Masvingo
has seen a surge in the number of street urchins recently, some of whom have
become violent and destroying property.

‘Lack of menstrual health management policy increasing stigma’

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‘Lack of menstrual health management policy increasing stigma’

Herbert Chikosi

Veeslee
Mhepo

MASVINGO
– Lack of a Menstrual Health Management (MHM)
policy in Zimbabwe has made it hard for stakeholder intervention, and has increased stigma especially in schools and rural
areas, the country’s birth-control authority has said.

The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council
(ZNFPC) feels there is a huge gap in Sexual Reproductive Health Rights without
a policy on MHM.

ZNFPC Masvingo provincial marketing officer, Herbert
Chikosi said lack of MHM policy had a negative impact on girls and young women
as they face stigma and stereotypes.

“The disadvantage of not having MHM policy is
seen in the stigma that our young girls and women suffer. All the myths around
menstruation must stop and an MHM policy would help in creating environments
that are girl-friendly especially in schools and work places,” said Chikosi.

He said such a policy would ensure enough data
and enlightenment on MHM and help in the assessment of the value of sanitary
wear which is still very expensive for many consumers, with girls in rural
areas being the most affected.

Chikosi said his institution will keep on
engaging other organizations, policy makers, leaders and traditional leaders on
MHM-related issues.

MyAge Zimbabwe executive director Onward Gibson
said to ensure sustainability on access to sanitary and MHM services, there had
to be a policy which would make it easier for stakeholder intervention.

He said such a development would ensure that
girls and young women do not have to miss school owing to a non-friendly menstrual
health needs environment.

Gibson said MyAge Zimbabwe was also working for
an MHM policy and ensure that communities had enough information on MHM.

“MyAge Zimbabwe works with communities to
ensure that myths, taboos and stigma around menstruation are addressed by
providing women, girls, men and boys with information on menstruation.

“We believe that this will facilitate in
breaking the silence around menstruation, ensure that women and girls
menstruate in a safe and hygienic environment and that menstrual waste is properly
disposed,” he said.

Road rehabilitation key priority for Mutare

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Road rehabilitation key priority for Mutare

Farai Bhiza speaking at a TellZim News Engagement Meeting in Mutare

 Believe
Mpofu

Mutare Deputy Mayor Cllr Farai Bhiza has said the
local authority has prioritized road rehabilitation over other service delivery
issues since the city’s roads need urgent rehabilitation.

Some motorists who fear for serious damage of their
vehicles, have resorted to only use their vehicles in the Central Business
District (CBD) and hike back home.

Speaking at a TellZim News Engagement Meeting on May
15, 2021, Bhiza said most roads have become really bad and that council has
since started resurfacing its major roads.

“The state of our roads has deteriorated a lot,
but we have already started resurfacing some roads in the commonage, only that we
are doing it in phases because of limited resources. We have witnessed the
Aerodrome Road being resurfaced, together with several other roads.

“Let me not hasten to say that Council has just
concluded plans to purchase a new grader and a roller, and for your own
information, our challenge as council is that we did not have not have a grader
but since the city is now expanding as far as Beira Corridor and Gimboki we saw
it fit to have our own machinery,” said Bhiza.

Bhiza also revealed that tender procedures to
procure a new grader are now at an advanced stage and that council intends to have
a lasting solution to road rehabilitation.

He said Mutare City Council is also waiting for the
delivery of a tipper truck to increase the fleet.

“We have other trucks but they are not enough
to cover all the 19 wards that need urgent road rehabilitation. If we add the
tipper which we are expecting, it would make it easier and convenient to repair
roads in high density areas,” Bhiza said.

Bhiza said that they also plan to purchase an
additional grader and a bulldozer in future.

The local authority has established a new committee,
Business Investment Standing Committee which will deal with private players who
may want to invest and assist in the road rehabilitation exercise.

Devolution funds to complete stalled projects in Mwenezi

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Devolution funds to complete stalled projects in Mwenezi
Masvayamwando Primary school

 Believe Mpofu

Mwenezi
Rural District Council (RDC) will channel its share of the devolution funds
towards improving access to healthcare facilities and rehabilitation of roads
which have become inaccessible.

Mwenezi
RDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Albert Chivanga said that their target was
to complete two clinics so as to improve access to health care facilities in
the district.

“We
are in the last stages of building Pertinel Clinic in Ward 13 and Chovelele
Clinic in Ward 17. Rehabilitation of Tolkwa Road in Ward 17 was also done using
the funds which we received,” said Chivanga.

He
said that the local authority recently finished drilling boreholes and had also
done some renovations at more than three council-run schools. 

“We
have also renovated school classroom blocks and teacher’s cottages at Vinga,
Chengwe, Mwasvamwando and Gwarama Primary schools in wards 14 and 17. Six
boreholes were also drilled in the district,” said Chivanga.

Mwenezi
District Development Coordinator (DDC), Rosemary Chingwe said that the local
authority and other critical stakeholders had partnered to develop the district
and in the acquisition of road-making machinery.

“Despite
various projects of rehabilitating roads, maintaining schools and building
clinics; the RDC has also bought a toll grader and tipper truck that are being
used in developing Mwenezi,” said Chingwe.

She
however, bemoaned the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic which she said had
hampered some developmental projects.

“The
Covid-19 induced lockdown has delayed the completions of other critical
projects in our district which we planned in 2020 and earlier this year,” said
Chingwe.

So
far, Mwenezi has reportedly received $32 million out of the $209 million which
the local authority was promised for 2021. 
 

Women plead for more market stalls

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Women plead for more market stalls

 

Collen Maboke

Clayton Shereni

MASVINGO-
Calls have been made to the local authority to erect more vending and market
stalls in the city so as to afford an opportunity to unemployed women who are
informal trading to earn a living.

Many
women and youth are unemployed and have turned to informal trading for survival
as the economy continues to worsen.

Speaking
during a Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) and Transparency, Responsiveness,
Accountability, and Citizen Engagement (TRACE) virtual meeting held last week,
participants pleaded for more market stalls to be availed for ease of doing
business.

One
of the participants, called on the local authority to heed to their calls so as
to avoid a scenario where they engage in running battles with the police.

“On
the issue of informal traders, council is not providing enough vending space
for us to sell our goods. Sometimes you go to sell in the CBD but the police
will always chase you and sometimes take whatever you will be selling. Informal
trading and vending is now our source of income and we would like to plead with
the local authority to take us into consideration because we are sending
children to school and feeding our families through informal trading,” said a
participant.

Masvingo
Mayor, Collen Maboke said a resolution had been made towards expanding market
stalls and that the local authority was targeting to construct more markets.

“A
resolution was done a long time ago targeting the improvement of market stalls
in the city. The money which we collect from vendors at our markets will be
used to construct and expand our markets,” said Maboke.

The
number of vendors especially in the CBD has ballooned due to the high economic
activity and street pavements have become the new market stalls for vendors.

Many
people have been arrested while some have had their goods taken by the police
and municipal police who will be chasing after them.

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