Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, Online Reporter
THE influx of illegal vendors, at night and during the day, is stretching the City of Bulawayo’s resources and refuse collection capabilities.
This was said by Bulawayo City Council (BCC) Director of Health Services Dr Edwin Mzingwane on the sidelines of the commissioning of four refuse compactors at City Hall on Wednesday.
Dr Mzingwane said the city’s refuse bins are below 50 percent capacity and that council cleaning employees were overwhelmed with refuse collection duties in the city centre.
“Back in the day, a vast majority of people spent the day at work in the industrial areas and council would collect refuse from the factories and businesses.
“The situation has now changed and people spend the whole day in the city centre, resulting in refuse accumulating at alarming rates,” said Dr Mzingwane.
Dr Mzingwane said the vandalism of waste bins in the city centre was also worsening the situation.
“Waste management is a cycle and that cycle begins with the proper disposal of refuse by residents before it is collected by council to landfills,” he said.
Council now has 17 refuse compactors. Dr Mzingwane said BCC needs 30 refuse compactors to efficiently collect refuse across the city.
