Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
GWERU City Council (GCC) has set aside $48 million from devolution funds to finance the relocation of the city’s dumpsite which is near Woodlands Phase 2 high density suburb.
The development comes as a relief for about 15 000 residents who are within the vicinity of the dumpsite.
The residents have filed numerous complaints about the bad odour from the dumpsite, uncontrollable flies and rodents getting into their houses.
The dumpsite, they said, is also contaminating borehole water in the area.
McFaden Landfill, popularly known to the public as the “Gweru Dumpsite”, is situated about 10km south-west of the city centre.
It is a few metres from Woodlands Phase 2 suburb and is said to be the single largest environmental health risk.
Woodlands Phase 2 is under Vungu Rural District Council.
After the completion of the housing project, Vungu RDC surrendered collection of service fees to the GCC citing incapacitation.
After years of bickering and finger-pointing, Vungu Rural District Council and GCC finally signed a Memorandum of Agreement in February 2021 which resulted in the rural council surrendering the responsibility of providing services to the residents to GCC.
The two local authorities agreed that GCC was to relocate the dumpsite within three years from the date of signing the agreement.
GCC has identified a new dumpsite, Starr Shire landfill measuring 11 hectares and is also 10km from the city centre.
The cost of relocating the dumpsite is estimated at $48 million. In an interview yesterday, GCC spokesperson Ms Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed the development.
“City of Gweru has set aside $48 million from devolution funds for the relocation of the city’s dumpsite which is near Woodlands phase 2 high density suburb. We have identified a new site, Starr Shire Landfill, which is 10km from the CBD,” she said.
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