City fails to cope with piles of garbage

Herald Reporter

The Harare City Council’s inability to handle substantial amounts of waste has resulted in garbage accumulating at terminuses.

During a visit to Market Square rank yesterday, sewage could be seen gushing out through manholes, while refuse has piled up.

The situation was the same for Charge Office bus terminus and council employees began making futile attempts to clear the area upon spotting The Herald photographer.

Speaking to The Herald yesterday, Harare Youth Transporters Association (HAYTA) chairman Mr Edmore Tirivanhu Gwengwe expressed outrage at the unfolding health time bomb.

“This is actually a health hazard for everyone who uses the rank; drivers, conductors, vendors and commuters, among others. This can lead to an outbreak of diseases like typhoid and cholera,” he said.

“Despite efforts by commuter operators to clean the terminuses, council is failing to complement their efforts, resulting in huge piles garbage.”

A bus conductor at the Market Square rank Mr Ben Chidora said council must increase the number of large skip bins to address refuse management. The bins would accommodate the large volumes of refuse generated at these densely populated areas.

“We also have raw sewage flowing which is a health hazard and must be addressed with immediate effect,” Mr Chidora said.

While there have been improvements in garbage management in parts of the city centre where bins were installed outside shops, there is still a problem of uncollected garbage in many areas.

Efforts to contact Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Stanley Gama were unfruitful.