Wallace Ruzvidzo and Harmony Agere
BULAWAYO Mayor David Coltart has said there is “no doubt” that the City of Kings needs facilities such as those at Geo Pomona Waste Management to tackle challenges at Richmond Landfill, popularly known as Ngozi Mine, particularly in waste sorting and processing.
Clr Coltart led a delegation of councillors and senior council officials on a tour of the Geo Pomona facility in Harare as the city seeks sustainable solutions to challenges at Ngozi Mine, including waste management and the impact of activities at the site on surrounding communities.
Speaking to the media after the tour, Clr Coltart said Ngozi Mine required both sorting and processing facilities, amid concerns over toxic fumes emanating from the landfill.
“We understand that we have a major problem at Ngozi Mine. It needs a sorting facility and it needs a processing facility.
“It has discharged toxic fumes which particularly affect the people of Cowdray Park and that’s unacceptable.
“So as a city we need processing in particular. So it’s been very useful,” he said.
Clr Coltart described the tour as “highly educative”, saying the delegation was particularly interested in the sorting plant and the planned processing facility at Geo Pomona.
“This has been a highly educative trip for us all. It’s been enlightening to see what has been done here.
“We were particularly interested in the sorting plant and we are interested in the processing plant which hasn’t been constructed here yet, but apparently will be in the course of the next 18 months.
“So we watch that with great interest. There’s no doubt that Bulawayo needs a facility like this.
“The critical thing for us though is what will it cost and is it affordable for us?” he said.
The engagement between Bulawayo City Council and Geo Pomona has been ongoing, with Clr Coltart describing the discussions as constructive.
He said waste management involved three broad processes; collection, separation and processing, with Bulawayo particularly interested in the latter two.
“So we’ve had a constructive engagement.
“Just in answering that, there are three broad processes involved in waste management. Firstly, collection. Secondly, separation. We see the separation plant behind us. And finally, processing waste into either aggregates, secondary uses of plastic or energy.
“And we’re very interested in seeing what Geo Pomona has done on the latter two. In the sorting and the processing of waste. Our belief is that our city does waste collection adequately,” he said.
A technical team from Bulawayo City Council had already visited Geo Pomona for familiarisation, with yesterday’s tour giving councillors and senior management an opportunity to assess the facility.
Clr Coltart said the next step was for the city to establish the financial implications of adopting such a model.
“Understanding with precision what a company like Geo Pomona can offer us.
“And I need to stress on behalf of the council that we are not at all closed to a contract.
“The issue for us is what is on offer. What will it cost the residents of Bulawayo. And how will we afford to pay for it.
“So I trust that we will have further constructive discussions going forward,” he said.
