Andile Tshuma Zimpapers Writer
BULAWAYO residents have called for a ban on single-use plastics and higher environmental levies on major plastic waste producers, saying tougher measures are needed to curb pollution and improve waste management in the city.
The proposals were raised at a provincial stakeholder clean-up engagement meeting convened by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in Bulawayo last Thursday to assess clean-up initiatives and identify gaps in waste management.
Residents said regular clean-up campaigns would have limited impact without stronger enforcement of environmental regulations, responsible waste disposal and greater accountability from businesses whose products contribute to plastic pollution.
They also called for sustained public awareness campaigns guided by the One Health approach, which recognises the links between human, animal and environmental health.
EMA Bulawayo provincial manager Mrs Sithembisiwe Ndlovu said environmental protection required consistent action beyond national clean-up days.
“Cleanliness should not be something that we prioritise only on national clean-up days. We need to develop a culture where every individual, household, business and institution takes responsibility for the waste they generate and ensures that it is properly managed,” she said.
Mrs Ndlovu said plastic pollution remained a concern because discarded plastics could persist in the environment when they were not properly collected and disposed of.
She called for greater public awareness, increased recycling and compliance with environmental regulations, adding that keeping the environment clean was a shared responsibility.
Bulawayo City Council (BCC) cleansing officer Mr Nkanyiso Ndlovu said the local authority remained committed to refuse collection but needed residents and businesses to complement its efforts.
“We have been consistent in refuse collection, and wherever there have been challenges, it is communicated and the truck would still come on a different day. We appreciate the residents who have taken part in clean-up activities because it takes all of us to keep Bulawayo clean,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu urged residents and businesses to dispose of waste responsibly and avoid illegal dumping, which creates additional challenges for refuse collection teams and undermines efforts to maintain clean neighbourhoods.
Residents also proposed that beverage companies and plastic bag manufacturers should contribute more towards waste collection, recovery and recycling.
Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Judith Ncube, who was represented at the meeting, commended religious organisations operating under the Zimbabwe
Heads of Christian Denominations for participating in the city’s clean-up activities over the past 11 months.
In a speech read on her behalf, she urged residents, businesses, schools, community groups and public institutions to make cleanliness a daily responsibility.
Minister Ncube said the participation of religious organisations demonstrated the contribution communities could make when they worked together, but stressed that maintaining a clean city should not be left to churches and a few committed groups.
Bulawayo mayor Councillor David Coltart, represented by Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo, also called for collective action to improve urban cleanliness.
He linked the clean-up campaign to the planned Operation Hlanzeka, which seeks to address illegal informal trading and unauthorised roadside structures while relocating traders to designated trading sites.
The mayor said the exercise would be carried out humanely, with efforts to protect traders’ livelihoods while restoring order and improving sanitation in the city.
Stakeholders also discussed strengthening recycling and integrating waste recovery businesses, including Wezesha Enterprises, into the city’s waste management system to promote a circular economy.
The engagement comes as Bulawayo pursues its vision of becoming a clean, smart and sustainable city by 2030, with stakeholders calling for stronger enforcement, responsible waste disposal and sustained community participation.
