Chronicle Editor
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
HWANGE Local Board (HLB) is mooting introducing refuse bins in every home as well as getting strict with littering by-laws as part of measures to mitigate littering and illegal dumping.
This was revealed by HLB chairperson, Councillor Morrison Mafa in his opening remarks during the Health Forum held at St Patrick’s Hospital last Tuesday.
He said the local authority had also put in place alternative measures to ensure garbage was collected.
“As council, we are also looking forward to ensuring that every household has a bin. We are still exploring the modalities on how we will ensure this, it’s either we give property owners a directive to purchase the receptacles or we factor that on their bills, with council buying for them.
“We have also realised that there is too much litter by the roadsides, which suggests it’s thrown off moving vehicles and as such we will ensure all public transporters place a bin in their vehicles and also fine all motorists seen throwing litter from their cars as a way of minimising this vice. We have also made it a point that in the event our refuse compactor breaks down, there is always an alternative to enable us to collect garbage at households and business premises,” said Clr Mafa.
He said the council was implementing various measures meant to curb littering such as dedicating a month to promote cleanliness, introducing by-laws on waste management as well as revoking licenses of businesses that do not adhere to the National Clean-Up Campaign.
“As a way of improving cleanliness in our area of jurisdiction, we dedicated the month of May as our month of cleanliness. I must say I was impressed by the support we received from corporates and other organisations, especially churches in our fight against littering and illegal waste dumping during that month.
“Through our solid waste management by-law, we continue to come up with various measures to mitigate littering and illegal dumping. Recently, we instructed all shops operating in our area of jurisdiction to place bins at their premises for disposal of litter. You might also be aware that as a way of ensuring that businesses adhere to the national clean-up day, we issued them with a warning to revoke operating licenses for non-participation in activities of this particular day,” said Clr Mafa.
The local authority said it was, through its Health, Housing and Community department, actively involved in creating awareness and participating in health programmes being initiated by Government and partners.
The forum, which was organised by the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) as part of the ordinary meeting of the Health Services Subcommittee and attended by mayors, health and environmental officers from various councils in Zimbabwe was meant to share and develop strategies on health and well-being of people.
Participants also discussed the recent cholera outbreak that also swept through the district, which was declared a hotspot but through concerted efforts by various stakeholders only a few deaths were recorded.
Bongani Ndlovu