Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, Sunday News Reporter
THE Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has temporarily hired out eight refuse compactors to the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to prevent a looming health crisis after the city’s fleet was grounded for scheduled servicing and major repairs, leading to a severe waste collection disruption.
Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Councillor Edwin Ndlovu told Sunday News yesterday that residents can expect co-ordinated refuse collection to resume across all suburbs starting Monday.
“Council has been struggling to collect refuse in some wards for the past few weeks due to mechanical issues with our trucks. However, the situation is now under control after we received eight compactors from our parent ministry,” said Clr Ndlovu.
He added that leasing the compactors from the Local Government Ministry is cost-effective compared to private hiring, ensuring the city does not incur excessive expenses during this critical period.
“Residents can rest assured that refuse will be collected from Monday,” he said.
Clr Ndlovu also emphasised the ongoing efforts to expedite repairs on the grounded fleet.
“We need all 15 compactors back in service as soon as possible. Our teams are working tirelessly to repair and service the trucks. You can expect to see uncollected refuse being picked up from the beginning of next week,” he stated.
Director of Communications and Advocacy in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Mr Gabriel Masvora, explained that equipment leasing is part of a broader initiative aimed at improving service delivery nationwide.
“Local authorities pay a nominal fee to lease the equipment, which is cheaper than private alternatives.
“This initiative, led by the Local Authorities Technical Support Unit (Latsu), aims at bolstering water collection, road maintenance and waste management,” he said.
Latsu, chaired by the Department of Public Works, received 20 refuse compactors in August as part of a fleet of 85 vehicles dedicated to waste collection.
Mr Masvora highlighted that this intervention follows recent efforts in Harare Metropolitan Province, which was declared a State of Disaster due to waste pile-ups.
“The equipment is intended to strengthen local councils’ capacity to combat illegal dumps and safeguard public health. So far, authorities like Beitbridge, Chinhoyi and Bulawayo have leased equipment from Latsu,” he said.
The eight compactors arrived at BCC last Friday, marking a significant step toward resolving the waste crisis.
Residents welcomed the development, expressing concern over the potential outbreak of water-borne diseases caused by accumulated refuse, especially with the rainy season approaching.
“The situation was worsening daily, with residents dumping waste in nearby bushes. We can only store refuse briefly before resorting to open dumping, which is risky during the rain season,” said chairperson of the Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) Mr Winos Dube.
Last week, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube revealed that all 15 of the council’s refuse compactors were out of service — four undergoing routine maintenance and 11 undergoing repairs — crippling waste collection in the CBD and suburbs.
Over the past month, residents have faced limited refuse collection, leading to trash piling up in street corners, sanitary lanes and illegal dumping sites. Frustrated residents have resorted to burning their waste, a practice warned against by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
