Online Reporter
Bruce Ndlovu and Gibson Mhaka, Zimpapers Writers
INFORMAL waste pickers at Ngozi Mine have expressed hope that the prospective implementation of the Geo Pomona waste management model will create more employment opportunities for 450 households in the area and beyond as Government and the City of Bulawayo move in to transform the city’s big waste dumping landfill.
While most residents in nearby Cowdray Park, who have endured choking smoke emanating from Ngozi Mine, are ecstatic at the prospect of a solution to the long-standing problem, some have expressed reservations about what the waste management transformation could mean for the livelihoods of scores of people living and working at the site.
Over the years, the landfill has become a lifeline for the destitute and desperate, with many relying on it for their livelihoods. Recently, President Mnangagwa directed Government to intervene and find a lasting solution to the long-running crisis at the landfill, which has become a daily health and environmental headache for communities in Cowdray Park, Emakhandeni and Luveve.
Mr Gideon Tshuma, a community leader who has lived at the informal settlement at Ngozi Mine since 1994, told Chronicle yesterday that Bulawayo’s industrial decline over the years had resulted in dwindling returns from the landfill, a situation that had been worsened by the growing number of people living and working at the site.
“When Bulawayo industries were booming, we had much more work to do and we had a lot more material to work with. The big companies would come and dump their stuff here, and that gave us a lot to work with,” he said.
“Now, there are a lot more people working here, and it means making money is even harder. You need to gather material of up to 50kg just to make US$5.”
Mr Tshuma, who is known as the headman at Ngozi Mine, said that about 450 households were living at the site, with many residents relying on waste picking to make a living.
“We have about 450 households here at Ngozi Mine, and many people are unemployed and survive on waste picking. When we heard that Geo Pomona is coming, we became concerned because, as you can see, we have children who are going to school and families that depend on waste picking for survival,” he said.
“We’re appealing to the company not to simply remove us from the site. Instead, we want them to consider employing us. As you can see, these children have parents who are surviving on waste picking, so if this source of livelihood is taken away, many families will struggle to survive,” he said.
Mr Nqobizitha Ncube, another informal settler, said he had raised his children on money earned from Ngozi Mine and hoped that any changes would not affect his earnings.
“I have been here since 2006, so for me, I’m very interested in what happens to Ngozi Mine. We now know that there will be changes and as people who live and work in this place, we hope that we’ll also be part of this future,” he said.
“Ngozi Mine is all that we have known. The only job that I have known is recycling, so my request is that if new opportunities are opening up, we should be considered among those who are in line to receive something when all is said and done.”
Mr Ncube said he was encouraged by what he heard about Geo Pomona’s work in the capital, Harare.
“When I say Ngozi Mine is all that we have known, some people might take it for granted, but that is the reality for someone like me. My eldest child is now in Form Three, and next year she is supposed to be doing her O-Levels. For her to get to this level, I relied solely on money that I earned from this place. I had no other source of income,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Ms Thithibele Mpofu, another resident.
“So far, we have heard good things from people who have undergone a similar process in Harare.
This gives us hope because what we want are jobs. That’s why we appealed to Government. We want the same things that those in other places have received, and the highest among those are jobs.
“We know that the Government will have our interests at heart, and that is why we are appealing to them,” she said.
Susan Chimanda (66), a Cowdray Park Section 10 representative, said residents had suffered for years because of the Ngozi Mine dumping site and welcomed the coming of Geo Pomona as a possible solution to the long-standing problem.
“As residents of Cowdray Park Section 10, we’re among the most affected. For a long time, we have been pushing for the total closure and relocation of the Ngozi Mine dumping site because it is situated close to residential areas, schools and churches,” she said.
“The site has been causing severe air pollution, contaminating water sources, subjecting us to unbearable smells, flies and serious health problems, including respiratory illnesses and skin diseases. The health and safety of our children, the elderly, livestock and pets are at serious risk.
“We’re happy with the coming of Geo Pomona because we believe things will improve. It’s a welcome development because, as residents, we have suffered a lot. We’re always going to hospitals because of the toxic smoke from the site, and we have spent a lot of money seeking medical treatment.
“The coming of Geo Pomona is a good step, and we now want a final solution to the Ngozi Mine problem. We have suffered for a long time and want the dumping site to be permanently addressed,” she said.
Mr Simbarashe Nyoni, another Cowdray Park resident, said he had lived in the area for nearly 25 years and had witnessed the effects of smoke from the Ngozi Mine dumpsite, with many residents falling ill over the years.
“It’s almost 25 years since I came to live in Cowdray Park, and this issue of smoke has been there for a very long time. It has affected a lot of people, including my wife, who is now asthmatic because of the smoke.
“The smoke can be so heavy that when it enters our homes, it stays for a long time, making it difficult for us to breathe. My wife has to use an inhaler, and even our children are feeling the effects,” he said.
“A lot of people have fallen ill because of this smoke, and residents have raised concerns about people who have lost their lives from illnesses they believe are linked to prolonged exposure to the smoke from Ngozi Mine.
“We are, therefore, pinning our hopes on Geo Pomona. If it is coming in to take over the management of Ngozi Mine and address the problem, it will go a long way in helping us. We have lived with this problem for many years, and we want to see a lasting solution.”
