By Tatenda Sibanda

Gweru – The Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) has raised concerns over the alarming rate of uncollected domestic refuse in Gweru City and its impact on public health and environment.
In a letter to the Toown Clerk dated May 7 2025, GRRA Executive Director Cornilia Selipiwe expressed concern over the inconvenience and health risks associated with uncollected refuse to residents.
The letter was issued following weeks without refuse being collected as council sites a number of breakdowns on the refuse fleet among other issues, a situation which has left the community prone to diseases.
“The prolonged delay has led to overflowing waste on our streets, posing a serious health and environmental hazard to residents.”
“The uncollected refuse has attracted flies and rodents, emitted unpleasant odors, and created breeding grounds for diseases, “reads part of the letter
He also said the refuse buildup may also be one of the contributing factors to the recent bed bugs outbreak, increasing public health risks.
“The refuse buildup may also be contributing to an outbreak of bed bugs (Tsikidzi), as the accumulation of organic waste attracts pests into nearby homes, further exacerbating the public health risk.” he added
Meanwhile ward 5 resident, Arnold Moyo expressed frustration over inconsistency of bins collection.
“I think the city council has forgotten their priorities or they have other important issues to deal with but this. Now we are not sure of the bin collection time tables so we end up using our own money to hire private garbage collectors, “said Moyo
Residents have called on the city council to prioritize waste management and ensure refuse collection on regular schedules and inform the residents on any changes to mitigate the crisis.
Gweru City Public Relations Officer Vimbai Chingwaramusee was not available for comment.

By Staff Reporter

The Zimbabwe Teachers Remuneration Struggle Movement (ZTRS) has called for action to demand better salaries and representation for teachers across Zimbabwe ahead of schools reopening next week.
Interim President of ZTRS Zvikomborero Nyabadza said in a statement released on May 9, 2025, teachers were not supposed to report for work on the school opening day as a form of protest against poor salaries they were getting.
“As the second term approaches, teachers across Zimbabwe are gearing up for a show of strength and solidarity. On May 13, 2025, the scheduled opening day and until our demands are resolved, we the teachers of the Republic of Zimbabwe are being urged to stay away from work in protest of poor salaries and inadequate union representation.
“For far too long, teachers have struggled to make ends meet due to meagre salaries that have not kept pace with the rising cost of living. Despite their crucial role in shaping the minds of future generations, teachers have been left behind in terms of compensation and support.
“By staying away from work on May 13 until our grievances are met, teachers can send a strong message that they will no longer be silenced or ignored. It’s now time to see a dignified professional teacher and it starts with this collective action. The choice is yours but one thing is clear the time for change is now,” said Nyabadza.
Nyabadza added the situation was now being worsened by unions which were failing to represent their interests and demanded that teachers be respected in the country because of their duties.
“The situation is further exacerbated by the perceived ineffectiveness of teacher unions, which have failed to adequately represent the interests of their members. Instead of fighting for better working conditions and salaries, these unions seem to be more interested in collecting subscriptions than advocating for the rights of teachers.
“This stay-away is a call to action, a chance for teachers to stand together and demand better from their employers and union representatives. It’s time for teachers to be valued and respected for the critical role they play in society,” he said.
Nyabadza said the movement was not aligned to any union or political party but called on others to join the movement.
“Our movement is not aligned to any union or political party but we are inviting unions to come on board for a collective bargain.
“I talked to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Torerayi Moyo this morning and he humbly assured me to address this as a matter of urgency when we informed him about downing tools,” said Nyabadza.

By Beverly Bizeki

Masvingo City is grappling with an unusual yet serious sewage challenge as used condoms are topping the list of items causing grit buildup and repeated sewer blockages while also crippling the city’s aging infrastructure.
Masvingo City Mayor and ward 4 councilor Alec Tabe made the startling revelation during a press conference held at the town house where he was presenting on the state of affairs of the city on May 8, 2025 and detailed how improper disposal of used condoms was causing a headache for the local authority.
“We’ve remove several bins worth of used condoms from our sewer system, which cause significant clogging and blockages. It’s unacceptable that people are disposing of these items in a way that’s putting unnecessary strain on our infrastructure. We urge residents to please dispose of condoms and other non-biodegradable items responsibly,” said Tabe.
He went on to say the high volume of grit was causing wear and tear on mechanical equipment at the raw sewage pump stations.
“Most of the mechanical equipment wears faster because of the high volumes of grit getting to the raw sewage pump stations. We continue to consistently swab the main sewer lines to reduce the volume of grit reaching the pump stations. We have budgeted to buy two new pumps in the year 2025,” said Tabe.
Speaking to TellZim News after the presser, Tabe said the situation was bad such that 5 to 6 bins of grit consisting mostly of used condoms were collected per week on average. He however said the city had an average 360 sewer blockage every month.
“The state of our sewage reticulation is fair with an average of 360 sewer blockages being attended to every month by the two maintenance teams that service the city. About 95 percent of the reported sewer complaints are addressed within a period of 24 hours,” said Tabe.
On the stalled Mucheke Trunk Sewer project, Tabe said construction was still at 76 percent with progress depending on the release of devolution funds from central government to finish the long delayed upgrade.