Vusumuzi Dube
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
CABINET has directed that clean water must be delivered to cholera hotspots in the country with media and government tours set to be conducted to assess the situation.
This was revealed by the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora while giving an update on the cholera situation in the country.
According to the latest Post Cabinet Briefing most cases are being reported in Kuwadzana suburb in Harare.
“The nation is being informed that the Minister of Health and Childcare after noting that 80 percent of the 90 new cholera cases reported in Harare were in Kuwadzana, visited the area accompanied by the Mayor of Harare, the Director of Harare City Health, and an Engineer in the Department of Refuse Collection to get first-hand information,” reads the latest briefing.
The team observed that residents are not getting portable water as council was failing to pump adequate water at Morton Jeffrey Waterworks. Harare City Council is said to be failing to manage the challenges.
Cabinet has directed that clean water be availed to the residents to reduce cholera incidences, that the Civil Protection Act be activated to fight the disease; and Central Government/ Media take tours to analyse the situation continuously.
The nation is being informed that the Emergency Solid Waste Programme is a response to the deplorable state of management in the Harare Metropolitan Province. Treasury released the first tranche of the scheduled three equal releases of US$700 000 on 23rd October 2023.
“As at 8 November 2023, a cumulative total of 1 083 illegal dumps had been cleared, translating to 54 percent of the target. The main focus in the next six weeks will be to clear all remaining dumps. The target is to clear the following waste dumps: 10 per day in Harare; 9 per day in Chitungwiza; 2 per day in Epworth; and 2 per day in Ruwa, reads the briefing.
The nation is being informed that Government has directed CMED to assess all trucks, tippers, tractors and compactors in the four local authorities that require repairs with a view to cutting down the costs of hiring equipment. CMED has since identified the vehicles and will be incorporated in the existing fleet. The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has transferred finances to CMED for the repairs that should be completed within one week.
EMA and the Taskforce team have developed a schedule of solid waste collection in most communities, which will be implemented from 13 November 2023. “The target is to collect solid waste at least once per week at each household.
The nation is advised that CMED is in the process of opening access roads in informal and formal communities which are inaccessible for the collection of waste. All local authorities have been directed to ring-fence funds levied for waste collection, and the funds be utilise for that purpose. The same local authorities have been further directed to ensure that each business premise has a bin, and that the frontages of the premises are kept clean,” further read the briefing.
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