Chronicle Editor
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is considering a policy where fines for illegal dumping will only be paid in foreign currency, a move aimed at deterring offenders and enhancing the city’s cleanliness.
The initiative is part of broader strategies to enforce environment management standards and ensure efficient service delivery to residents.
The proposed policy, which is awaiting Government approval reflects the council’s commitment to tackling the persistent issue of illegal dumping that has plagued the city and poses significant risk to public health and safety.
According to the latest council report, the local authority noted that the main let-down was that their security guards had no arresting powers hence the need for them to take the route of pegging the fines in foreign currency.
“The city legal officer explained that the council was finalising the recruitment of security guards. The security guards would assist in the enforcement of by-laws. The challenge was that the council had no arresting powers and could only fine up to level three. The Environmental Management Agency had higher fines.
“The illegal refuse dumping by-laws were being reviewed to have changes pegged in United States dollars. The by-laws were among several other by-laws awaiting Government approval. Councils were lobbying the Central Government to establish municipal courts and be granted arresting powers,” reads the report.
The local authority noted that the situation in the Central Business District continued to deteriorate and was contemplating engaging other law enforcement agents to help enforce the city’s by-laws.
“The current situation in the CBD is very bad. There are a lot of illegal activities, which include illegal vending along 5th Avenue, illegal picking up and dropping off of passengers along 6th Avenue and along Leopold Takawira and Hebert Chitepo Street, illegal foreign currency dealing next to Tredgold Building and opposite, illegal bus picking up and dropping off passengers at night along Fort Street and Leopold Takawira Avenue. A lot of enforcement is needed. Council will soon engage the State to assist with enforcement,” reads the report.
The local authority also revealed that last month, nine motorists were apprehended with the assistance of members of the public who took photos of them dumping waste in the various open spaces in the city.
All the vehicles were tracked and their owners fined for dumping waste.
“Illegal vending was also increasing and some parts of the CBD have remained very dirty. Community truckers were also contributing to littering. The teams do not pick up refuse falling from their moving trucks. The community truckers crew had no public relations.
“Council had recently recruited more security personnel and enforcement should improve. The landfill site should also be improved. This can only be done if the council engage private contractors.
“Councillor Susan Sithole observed that old electrical items had been dumped in bushy areas because community truckers had not collected them. She raised concerns about the evidence required to persecute or fine a resident for littering or dumping refuse illegally,” reads the council report.
Online Reporter