Online Reporter
Andile Tshuma, [email protected]
THE Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (Zinef) has called for strengthened environmental reporting, urging journalists to do more to highlight environmental challenges while also telling stories about communities and initiatives working to find solutions.
The call was made during a media tour of Ngozi Mine, popularly known as the Richmond Landfill site in Bulawayo, where Zinef engaged residents and observed recycling activities taking place at the site.
Government has since directed the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to engage GeoPomona Waste Management Company to take over waste management at the site.
Zinef national coordinator, Njabulo Ncube commended journalists for the environmental stories they were already producing, saying more attention could be devoted to environmental issues and the opportunities emerging from waste management.
“There is a lot that is happening here that we need to report on. We have enormous recycling projects taking place at Ngozi Mine,” he said.
“In fact, there are many stories that can come out of this community. We are not saying journalists are not doing environmental reporting, but there is definitely room for more.”
Ncube said journalists should also look beyond environmental degradation and report on initiatives that demonstrate how communities and other stakeholders are responding to the challenges.
“Environmental reporting should not only be about the problems. We also need to tell the stories of the solutions, the recycling initiatives and the people whose livelihoods are connected to waste,” he said.
During the visit, the editors witnessed the living and working conditions at the informal settlement,
which is home to about 450 families.
Ngozi Mine Village head, Gideon Tshuma, who has lived at Ngozi Mine since 1994, said residents
have built their lives around the landfill over the years, depending largely on waste-picking and recycling-related activities for their livelihoods.
“We have been here for many years. I came here in 1994 and today we have about 450 families living in this community. This is home to us and people depend on the landfill for their livelihoods,” he said.
Tshuma said residents wanted improved living and working conditions without losing opportunities to earn a living.
“We want better living conditions and better working conditions. We want our community to develop and we want opportunities that allow people here to earn a decent living and take care of their families,” he said.
Chronicle and Sunday News editor Hatred Zenenga said the visit gave them a different perspective about the landfill.
“As editors, we make decisions every day about the stories that receive attention. Coming here and seeing the conditions for ourselves reminds us that there are people and communities behind the environmental stories we publish,” he said.
Zenenga said direct engagement with affected communities was important in ensuring that environmental reporting was balanced and representative.
“We need to continue giving these communities a voice. Environmental reporting should explain the challenges, but it should also capture the experiences of the people who live with those challenges every day,” he said.
Zimpapers intake editor, Limukani Ncube, said the visit reinforced the importance of taking journalism beyond the newsroom.
“You can read about an environmental problem, but coming here gives you a completely different understanding. You see the conditions, you speak to the people and you begin to understand how environmental issues are connected to livelihoods and everyday life,” he said.
Ncube challenged journalists to continue strengthening their understanding of environmental issues to ensure their reporting contributes meaningfully to public awareness and solutions.
“There is an opportunity for journalists to report more deeply on environmental issues, to look at the causes, the impact on communities and also what can be done to address those challenges,” he said.
Ncube said the media had an important role to play in keeping environmental issues in the public spotlight.
“Journalists have a responsibility to report accurately and responsibly, but we also need sustained coverage. Environmental issues should not only become news when there is a crisis. Stories are
happening here every day, from recycling to livelihoods and the challenges facing the community,” he said.
Residents said the engagement provided them with an opportunity to directly share their concerns and aspirations with journalists.
“We want a better life for our families. We have been living here for years and we want to see better conditions for the people who call this place home,” said Sikhangezile Maphosa.
She said residents hoped that greater attention to their community would result in practical improvements.
“We welcome people coming here to understand our situation because sometimes people only see the landfill and the waste. They do not always see the people who live here and the lives that we have built,” said Maphosa.
The visit comes amid growing attention on the future of Ngozi Mine and efforts to improve waste management and recycling at the site.
