MAYOR BLASTS DIRTY CITY: Coltart pushes for painful litter fines

Sikhumbuzo Moyo

BULAWAYO Mayor David Coltart has come out guns blazing against litterbugs, pushing for garbage fines to shoot up by a whopping 1 000 percent as the city drowns in filth.
From beer bottles dumped in the CBD to illegal rubbish heaps mushrooming in suburbs, the City Fathers say enough is enough. The new proposal will see litter fines jump from as little as $5 to $300, in a bid to hit offenders where it hurts most, their wallets.

Speaking during the latest full council meeting, Ward Five Councillor Dumisani Nkomo sparked the debate, saying Bulawayo should take a leaf from Victoria Falls.
“Victoria Falls City has fines of up to $100 and they are smaller than us. There’s no excuse for Bulawayo to keep charging peanuts for littering,” said Cllr Nkomo.

Ward 22 Councillor Mmeli Moyo seconded the motion, calling for more manpower to monitor dumping hot spots across the city.
Mayor Coltart said it was time for “painful” fines that force residents and companies to think twice before tossing trash out the window.

“It’s more painful for an individual who dumps a plastic bottle to pay $30 but it doesn’t hurt the owner of a vehicle who dumps litter. I would like to see a fine of not less than $300,” he said.
He revealed that a prominent businessman was recently caught red handed dumping garbage along Cecil Avenue.

“I reported the incident and the owner only paid a $30 fine. That fine has no relation to the gravity of the offence, it’s no deterrent, especially to companies. Go along Old Gwanda Road and you’ll be horrified by the dumping there,” fumed Coltart.
The matter has now been referred to the Health, Housing and Education Committee chaired by Ward 17 Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo, which will craft recommendations for the new penalty structure.

Looks like Bulawayo’s litterbugs are about to find out that throwing trash could soon come with a serious price tag.