Ticking time bomb
WATER borne diseases are looming in Harare because of failure by the MDC-led city council to collect refuse and attend to sewer bursts which have become an eyesore and health time bomb, especially in high density areas.
Environment, Climate and Tourism Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said the local authority had been turning down efforts by some private players willing to partner council in recycling litter.
Minister Ndlovu who was speaking at a clean-up campaign launch in Gweru recently where he blamed the Harare City Council for the mess the capital finds itself in.
“Harare City council is surprisingly happy to see litter piling up and they have been turning down proposals by some companies and private players intending to partner them in recycling the litter. It is shocking and one wonders what they want to do with the litter,” he said.
In suburbs such as Mbare, Glen View, Budiriro, Mufakose, Highfield, Mabvuku, Tafara and Chitungwiza there are dumpsites and sewage flowing in many areas. Young children could be seen playing near sewage while some vendors were selling wares near dumpsites, posing a huge health threat to residents. City officials in Glen View said they were unable to attend to the sewer bursts because of lack of equipment. “We cannot attend to the bursts because we do not have the rods for sewer chokes. The one set of rods we have has been sent to Mufakose,” said a council plumber stationed at Glen View.
Recently, Mufakose residents mobilised each other and cleared all the dumpsites in the area for fear of disease outbreaks. The residents first cleared garbage at shopping areas, open spaces and wetlands.
Mr Taurayi Marembo, a senior Zanu PF official in Mufakose constituency, was the team leader for the clean-up exercise.
He said they were saddened by the non-collection of refuse by council that had resulted in the sprouting of illegal dumpsites. “We are raising awareness to the residents not to dump their refuse everywhere. This is an exercise which we are going to be doing often to make sure that Mufakose is clean. We are motivated by the need for cleanliness in our area,” he said.
Council corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme said their team was on the ground attending to sewer bursts across the city.
“Our teams are on the ground in different suburbs attending to sewer bursts. The bursts show that there is a small improvement in the supply of water because bursts cannot happen when there is no water,” he said.
Council is yet to take delivery of 15 refuse trucks purchased in 2015 for US$3,1 million.