BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has proposed to re-introduce nocturnal refuse collection which was abandoned some time back, despite being very effective.
The local authority is also mulling returning steel bins because the current plastic bins have proved uneconomic and prone to vandalism which is worsening the city’s garbage crisis.
“Council used to have patrol vehicles that collected carcases of dead animals and refuse missed by compactors. The (refuse collection) department should re-strategise and bring back those vehicles… The current refuse bags used nowadays are prone to vandalism,” the council’s latest minutes indicated.
Deputy mayor Mlandu Ncube said: “The (refuse collection) department should collect refuse from street sweepers immediately after completing the task so that there are no illegal dumpsites.”
Mzilikazi residents have, meanwhile accused council refuse collectors of incompetence.
“They overload their trucks, or maybe the trucks are too small and get overwhelmed. Either way they are incompetent because whenever they make their rounds they drive around dropping rubbish in the neighbourhood streets. When we ask them to pick up what they drop, they simply drive off. That needs to be corrected,” Nkomo, a resident, said.
BCC is presently contracting private individuals to collect refuse due to refuse compactor shortages.
The council is, in the meantime, putting in place a solar plant at Ncema to enable it install solar power pumps to help lessen the city’s water woes being exacerbated by intermittent power outages, the deputy mayor has confirmed.
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The developments come as the city is enforcing tight water rationing schedules with some areas going for three weeks with dry taps.
“I can confirm that is what we are doing as council, especially at Ncema. We have a contractor who is putting up a solar plant at Ncema,” Ncube said.
A Pumula resident, Godknows Tshuma, said access to clean and safe water was everyone’s right.
“Our council should work towards ensuring that every resident has access to clean and safe water. We know that without electricity, pumps are unable to operate and ensure water supply to the people. Thus, we must switch to solar-powered pumps so that everyone gets access to clean and safe water,” he said.
Another resident, Jefferson Mudzingwa, lauded council’s solar-powered water pumps initiative saying: “It is good to see that the council is implementing measures to ensure that water rationing lessens by resorting to installation of solar-powered pumps. I really hope that it comes to fruition. I also call upon all residents and council to come together to make sure that we protect such infrastructure as we know that solar panels are a target for thieves.”
