Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
BEITBRIDGE Municipality has engaged the private sector to assist in the solid waste management in line with the town’s rapid growth in the last decade.
Acting Town Clerk Mr Loud Ramakgapola said they were engaging corporates, residents and other players in their quest to improve on the management of the environment.
He said the town was a preface to the country’s image to visitors coming in through South Africa and those in transit from other countries in the region (Sadc). He made the remarks after receiving a denotation of 17 waste bins from Stanbic Bank recently.
“We have to involve all the players if we are to come up with a modern solid waste management systems.
I want to urge other corporates to emulate the gesture from Stanbic Bank,” said Mr Ramakgapola.
The local authority’s director of Health Services and Environment, Mr Pio Muchena, said the donation brought to 400, the total number of bins installed around key points in the border town.
He said they were also running programmes including the annual Mayors’ anti-litter half marathon, awareness campaigns and regular clean up initiatives at ward level led by councillors.
“We are collecting more than 700 tonnes of litter per month and the number has been increasing with each year as our town is growing.
“Our situation (littering) is also made worse by our geographical location where we have more than 10 000 transient population daily.
“This calls for us to improve our collaboration with stakeholders to enhance our capacity to deal with littering. In addition, we are working on constructing a new landfill (dumpsite) at a cost of $800 000 as we move a gear up on our quest to modernise or town,” said Mr Muchena.
Deputy Mayor Councillor Munyaradzi Chitsunge said it was important for the municipality to craft by-laws, which deal ruthlessly with littering. Stanbic branch manager (Beitbridge) Mr Martin Nyatsango said corporates should play a leading role in capacitating local authorities to improve service delivery.
“We are working with a number of organisations and local authorities countrywide on environment issues.
“As Stanbic Bank we are very conscious of our operations in terms of social, economic and environmental impact.
“In this case, we are aware that we contribute to waste generation as an organisation and individuals, therefore, it is imperative that we ensure safe and responsible disposal of all waste,” he said.
derick.khumalo