EMA appeal to vendors, drivers

Arron Nyamayaro
VENDORS operating by the gates at schools have been urged to also consider the health of the students.

Environmental Management Agency provincial education officer, Batsirai Sibanda, made the call on Friday during a clean-up campaign carried by Nettleton Primary School Environmental Club at Braeside Shopping Centre.

Sibanda also challenged commuter omnibus drivers, parking their vehicles waiting to ferry pupils, to avoid throwing litter close to the schools.

“We have taken cleaning campaigns to schools, starting with each pupil,” said Sibanda. Our conflict with vendors and drivers, targeting school children for a living, is one of our major challenges.

“We are urging vendors, operating opposite school gates, to consider the health of the children first because they throw litter or for them to clean where they operate from.

“Another conflict is between drivers and the community around schools as some tend to urinate in plastic bottles, with some defecating in plastic papers, and throwing them at residential yards.

“Such behaviour is unacceptable in communities as it risks the people’s health.

“This has become one of our challenges and we are appealing to the City of Harare to use City by-laws, in dealing with vendors, and commuter omnibus drivers.”

Nettleton Primary School Environmental Club members engaged the business community in cleaning Braeside New Complex which houses Pick n Pay Supermarket, Chicken Slice and Chicken Inn food courts.

Apart from receiving cleaning materials, the Club members got the opportunity to enjoy meals at the food court.