Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube
1 000 homeless in dumpsite
Poor waste management, smoke, open burning and lack of clean water
MORE than 1 000 people are reportedly living in a sprawling makeshift settlement at Bulawayo’s notorious Ngozi Mine dumpsite, where residents’ representatives say poor waste management and recurring fires have turned the landfill into an environmental crisis.
The shocking claims were made by the Zimbabwe National Organisation of Residents Associations (ZNOART) after its officials toured the Richmond Landfill on Monday.
ZNOART said it witnessed uncontrolled dumping, open and underground burning and leachate, raising concerns over conditions facing communities around the dumpsite.
“The Zimbabwe National Organisation of Residents Associations (ZNOART) is deeply concerned about the environmental and human rights crisis unfolding at the Richmond Landfill, popularly known as the Ngozi Mine Dumpsite,” said national chairman Shalvar Chikomba.
“Following a tour of the site, we witnessed uncontrolled waste, open and underground burning, and leachate that are directly threatening environmental rights of Bulawayo residents.”
Ngozi Mine was opened by the Bulawayo City Council in 1994 after an old mining pit was converted into a landfill, with an expected lifespan of between 20 and 25 years.
ZNOART said the landfill had now outlived its projected lifespan, while residents of Cowdray Park, Richmond, Luveve and Emakhandeni have repeatedly raised concerns over smoke from the site.
The organisation said hundreds of waste pickers, including women and children, were working at the dumpsite without protective clothing.
But the most startling claim was that the dumpsite has also become home to more than 1 000 homeless people and families living in about 300 makeshift structures.
ZNOART said some residents were using a disused dam as their main source of water.
“The most vulnerable, women who fetch water from a disused dam, children who are segregated at school, and waste pickers working without protective gear, are paying the highest price,” said Chikomba.
The organisation called for an urgent environmental and health impact assessment to establish the impact of the dumpsite on surrounding communities.
The revelations come as Government and council search for a long-term solution to the Ngozi Mine problem.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe recently directed council to engage Geo Pomona Waste Management over the dumpsite.
Council has since directed its management to obtain a draft agreement with the company for consideration by councillors.
Mayor David Coltart has previously said tackling the Ngozi Mine crisis would require a multi-million-dollar investment beyond council’s financial capacity.
ZNOART wants council to improve landfill management, stop open burning and provide clean water to people living at the dumpsite.
It also wants waste segregation and recycling introduced, while residents and waste pickers should be included in decisions concerning the future of the site.
The organisation supports a public-private partnership involving recycling and waste-to-energy projects, but says the people who depend on the dumpsite for their livelihoods must not be forgotten.
“Residents are only concerned of news that gives us confidence that indeed there are efforts to reduce pollution to acceptable WHO standards, and sustainable waste management,” said Chikomba.
ZNOART said the crisis had now gone beyond waste management.
“No more stories around the dumpsite. The Ngozi Dumpsite is no longer just a waste management challenge. It is an environmental justice issue. Environmental rights are human rights.”
