Residents urged to report illegal waste dumping

Sunday Mail Reporter

THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has urged Harare residents to report all illegal dumping of waste and non-collection of garbage in residential, industrial and the Central Business District.

This is in line with the Second Republic’s “Zero Tolerance to Litter” stance, and comes after President Mnangagwa last week declared a state of disaster on emergency solid waste management in Harare Metropolitan province through Statutory Instrument 140 of 2023.

“The local authorities in the province are unable to manage the waste due, among other reasons, to their failure to invest in waste management infrastructure and the related equipment and human resources and to their inefficient collection practices and lack of environmental control systems,” reads part of the Government gazette, which also empowers EMA to co-ordinate the removal of waste dumps.

Areas that fall under Harare Metropolitan province’s four local authorities — Epworth, Ruwa, Chitungwiza and Harare — are in a deplorable state, especially with regard to solid waste management.

All the four councils are under opposition political parties

EMA spokesperson Ms Amkela Sidange said illegal dumping of waste is an offence.

“The public is reminded that littering and dumping of waste remain punishable offences, according to the Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27), and all those found violating this law would be prosecuted.

“The agency is, therefore, calling upon all residents of the Harare Metropolitan province to notify EMA of all illegal waste dumps, and non-collection of waste in the residential and industrial areas, as well as the central business district,” she said in a statement.

EMA is also encouraging residents to organise themselves into groups and clean their surroundings, then notify the agency of these clean-up activities for facilitation of waste collection.

In December 2018, President Mnangagwa declared every first Friday of each calendar month a National Clean-Up Day, as Government seeks to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11 and 12 on sustainable cities and communities; and responsible consumption and production, respectively.