Council under re over litter
FARMERS from Matobo in Matabeleland South have appealed for inclusion in the government’s command agriculture projects to boost food security in the drought prone province.
The majority of villagers did not harvest anything owing to the poor rains.
A resettled farmer in Ward 25 at Tshonaphansi village, Phineas Ndlovu said the lack of farming equipment and capital was behind the worsening poverty in his area.
"We are willing to participate in farming, but it's hard to start without the adequate resources such as capital to enable buying of farming equipment," Ndlovu said.
"We are appealing to the government to include us for command livestock projects.”
Another farmer from Tshonaphansi village Siphethokuhle Ndlovu said they once tried to establish an irrigation project to grow soya beans but it collapsed due to lack of inputs.
Ward 25 councillor Sibonginkosi Dube said Tshonaphansi villagers wanted to help to set up an irrigation scheme.
MAPHISA residents are complaining over the failure by their council to provide a designated landfill to arrest an increase in littering at the growth point in Matobo district.
Chief Ngwenyama Fuyane in Kezi said the Matobo Rural District Council (RDC) must provide official dumpsites to protect the environment from litter bugs.
In addition to water and soil pollution, litter can also pollute the air.
Researchers estimate that more than 40% of the world’s litter is burned in the open air, which can release toxic emissions that cause respiratory issues and other health problems.
“I have never seen the council personnel collecting litter. There is litter everywhere and too much garbage,” Fuyane said.
Outspoken Chief Nyangazonke Ndiweni said every citizen has a role to play to keep the environment clean.
"The area is under Chief Fuyane, but there is a lot of litter and we should all ensure that our environment is clean,” he said.
According to Nyangazonke, the main road from Bulawayo to Maphisa is littered with a lot of garbage including inside the Matopo National Park.
Matobo Rural District Council (RDC) chief executive officer Elvis Sibanda disputed the allegations, saying it was only last week where they faced fuel challenges and failed to collect refuse.
"There is no way as a local authority we cannot collect refuse. The council has a refuse dumpsite where all litter is deposited,” Sibanda said.
“As a local authority we have an established refuse dumpsite, which is fenced. We collect refuse three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.”
Sibanda went on to blame informal traders for littering the growth point.
"The tractor that we use for refuse collection has been used for ages, and it is not compacted to prevent litter from falling from it hence it might contribute in terms of spreading the litter," he said.