Melinda Kusemachibi
Masvingo City councilors recently grilled management over its lackadaisical approach on refuse collection, urging the later to explore other means of combating the ever worsening solid waste management situation.
Speaking at a full council meeting held on May 31, 2022 at Civic Center, Masvingo ward 3 councilor Roki Kamuzonda raised the need for council to procure more vehicles to assist the current two.
“As council we need to buy more refuse compactors in order to improve on refuse collection unlike a situation in which the whole city is served by two refuse compactors which are sometimes down due to effects of overloading. If council can buy something like three compactors, then the current fleet would be relieved of the challenges,” said Kamuzonda.
Ward 10 councilor Sengerai Manyanga echoed Kamuzonda’s sentiments suggested that council should approach big companies or corporates in the province to source for resources towards improving the dire situation.
“Council should engage companies such as Renco Mine, Bikita Minerals or even Mimosa mine in Zvishavane. That is what we should do as council so that we will be able to get help. We have few compactors and refuse collection will only be improved if we have more functioning refuse compactors,” said Manyanga.
Environmental Health chairperson ward 8 councilor Against Chiteme said overloading is a sign of lack of enough compactors.
“Over loading is a sign that there are few compactors. If council does not have money to buy new refuse compactors, at least buy new engines so that the compactors will be functional,” said Chiteme.
In response to the issue, Masvingo Town Clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa said they had made efforts to communicate with those companies but nothing fruitful has been realized.
“Communications were done to Mimosa and Tongaat Hullets through their Public Relations sections though were are yet to have responses. As for Bikita Minerals, the last time we communicated result with them, they were talking of changes in management and as a result there could be no breakthrough then. We will have to make follow ups and l will have to approach Tongaat Hulett when I go for my assignment there in Chiredzi.
“We had intentions to purchase even more than three compactors but our cash flows are constrained. We had initially budgeted for two vehicles, with the first meant for first quarter of the year and the second one set for the second quarter but the concerning factor is finance, otherwise if we had enough finances we would purchase them,” said Engineer Mukaratirwa.
In the minutes of proceedings of the health housing and environmental services committees meeting held on May 5 2022 council highlighted that they have since resorted to hiring trucks to aid the two compactors.
“On the state of refuse collection trucks, the Chief Environmental Health Officer reported that two trucks were operational and council had since stopped hiring the truck from the Central Mechanical Engineering Department (CMED). Debate ensued on how best council could efficiently manage the refuse collection trucks.
“The committee raised concern on rampant illegal dumping in the commonage by the residents. It was agreed that ward councilors should educate residents during ward feedback meetings, to desist from illegal dumping,” read part of the minutes.
Masvingo has seen an increase in umber of illegal dumpsites due to council’s failure to collect refuse according to the schedule they set while also works at Cambria farm waste plant are behind time in completion.
