Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu [email protected]
INSIZA Rural District Council has rolled out the first phase of an initiative to promote clean, orderly and well-maintained growth centres, with improved service delivery expected to create a conducive environment for investment and development.
The initiative includes an anti-litter campaign, supported by the recent purchase of a refuse compactor to improve waste collection and management across the district.
In an interview, Insiza RDC chief executive officer Mr Shepherd Tshuma said the refuse compactor, purchased using devolution funds at a cost of US$122 000, will improve the efficiency of refuse collection in Filabusi and surrounding service centres.
The equipment will service Filabusi and nearby rural service centres, including Skuta, Nkankezi and Amazon, which are located along major highways.
“As part of the campaign to maintain cleanliness and order in the district, we started by buying a refuse compactor using devolution funds for US$122 000,” he said.
“We have been using a tractor and dumper trailer to collect refuse in the Filabusi Town Board area, which made the process very slow and inefficient.
“We were failing to collect refuse from all households, businesses and institutions within a week. Now that we have the refuse compactor, we have set the ball rolling to ensure a clean, smart and orderly district,” he said.
Mr Tshuma said the initial focus would be on Filabusi, Shangani and Silalatshani, with the programme combining development planning enforcement, property rehabilitation, licensing, regulated vending and hawking, public-space management and routine maintenance.
He said the first phase would involve compiling a database and registering properties, developments, vendors, hawkers and businesses operating in the targeted areas.
The second phase will focus on visible, high-impact enforcement of regulations in central business districts and other priority corridors, while the third will consolidate compliance through maintenance, licence renewals, routine inspections, data management and quarterly performance reviews.
“The objectives are to restore and maintain orderly, safe and functional public spaces, particularly central business districts and major commercial corridors. The initiative will also identify and address properties and developments that are unlawful, unsafe, neglected or detrimental to surrounding amenities.
“We also hope to increase compliance with planning permissions, building requirements, approved land uses and conditions of approval. We seek to address illegal parking and vehicle piracy in Filabusi, Shangani and Silalatshani,” he said.
Mr Tshuma said the council would establish a transparent system for registering and licensing vendors, hawkers and businesses, while informal traders would be relocated to designated vending markets and approved trading areas.
The programme will also identify neglected, unsafe and unsanitary buildings for maintenance, refurbishment or, where necessary, the removal of dangerous or inappropriate structures.
Council will facilitate the construction of clearly demarcated stalls and trading spaces, pedestrian walkways, solid-waste bins and designated refuse collection points, alongside adequate drainage and water facilities where feasible.
Sanitation facilities appropriate to the size of markets will also be established, together with lighting and basic security services.
“We want to do away with dangerous or visibly unsafe buildings and structures that pose a threat to the public. Buildings or sites in a ruinous or neglected condition compromise the appearance of our towns and can discourage investment.
“Unfinished structures left unsecured create nuisances, accumulate waste and pose safety hazards. We also have properties where uncontrolled refuse, overgrown vegetation and blocked drainage undermine the appearance of our growth centres.
“The central business district will be managed as a high-priority public-service zone. The objective is not only enforcement, but also the continuous management of movement, trading, waste, parking, drainage, building frontages, signage and public safety,” he said.
-@DubeMatutu
