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Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
Mabvuku residents have registered their concern with Harare City Council over the non-collection of refuse that has seen the sprouting of illegal dumpsites around Mabvuku and Tafara.
The Herald crew that visited the area noticed deposits of litter near Donnybrook Primary School, which has become a health hazard to school children.
A correspondence has since been sent to the Mabvuku District Office about the dumpsite encroaching into the school premises.
“It is our sincere hope that you attend to this critical issue with the urgency it deserves, as the onset of the rains will increase the risk of the dumpsite becoming a breeding hub for various water borne diseases,” reads part of the correspondence.
The residents highlighted that “school children are entitled to a clean environment” as provided in the Constitution.
Council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme said council had received the petition of the alumni and invited them to partner with the council to improve service delivery.
“We invite them to come on board and work with the council so that the council is capacitated. We hope that they partner with us and work the way forward with us as we want them to assist us to come up with ways to improve service delivery,” he said.
Mr Chideme said people were throwing away money by disposing litter at illegal dumpsites instead of sending it for recycling which has earned other residents a living.
The failure by the City of Harare to collect refuse came at a time when the local authority received a wrong consignment of single skip trucks instead of double skip trucks.
In 2017, Harare City Council purchased 15 refuse trucks (compactors) at FAW Zimbabwe trading as Massbreed Investments in Msasa but until now the trucks have not been delivered.
Currently the City has 13 refuse trucks to cover all the 46 Wards of Harare which are insufficient to provide adequate refuse collection services, a situation that has seen the emergence of illegal dumpsites across the city.
Combined Harare Residents Association has called upon the City Council to claim the difference in value of wrongly supplied single skip trucks from the double skip trucks that were supposed to be delivered and take tangible action in claiming the 15 refuse trucks that were purchased but not delivered by Massbreed Investments.
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