Masvingo city gets tough on litterbugs as cholera spreads

George Maponga in Masvingo

Masvingo City Council has put litterbugs on notice after imposing a US$20 instant fine on those caught throwing litter anywhere.

The development comes as the city is on high alert after the outbreak of isolated cases of cholera forcing the city fathers to up the ante on the need to promote cleanliness to contain the spread of the disease.

Town clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa said the new fine was introduced in terms of the Environmental Management Agency(EMA) Act and the city’s revised anti-littering by-laws of 1996.

Engineer Mukaratirwa said council aimed to punish litterbugs.

“We have imposed an instant US$20 fine on those caught throwing away litter everywhere as a way to punish the culprits and curb the proliferation of rubbish in our city as we bid to make sure we maintain a clean environment especially in the wake of the outbreak of cholera,”said Engineer Mukaratirwa.

“As a local authority, we are worried about the proliferation of litter in the central business district precincts and also suburban areas which has prompted us to take this action. We revised upwards the fine for those caught throwing away litter. The culprits will pay US$20.”

He reckoned the local authority was on course to win the battle against cholera emphasising on the need to ensure high standards of cleanliness always.