Zimpapers Logo

Clr Fidze

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
A HEALTH hazard looms in Masvingo town where the council has been failing to collect mounting refuse for weeks, at the expense of the health of its residents.

Two of the council’s three refuse trucks broke down and the municipality has been battling to repair them.

In various interviews, residents said the non-collection of refuse was posing a serious health risk, especially now that it is rainy season.

Masvingo United Ratepayers and Residents Alliance spokesman Mr Godfrey Mutimba said some residential areas had gone for three weeks without refuse being collected and that the situation was worrying.

“We are concerned with the rate at which refuse is collected especially considering that residents pay for this service. We call on our council to take it seriously, especially now that the rains have started falling. Residents will be susceptible to disease transmission if refuse stays for long before being collected,” he said.

Community Working Group on Health Masvingo district chairperson Mrs Entrance Takaidza urged council to engage private partners if it does not have vehicles for refuse collection.

“As it is, some unscrupulous residents are now disposing refuse into sanitary lanes and blocking them. This is because refuse takes long before being collected and we call upon the Masvingo City Council to engage other transporters if the refuse trucks have breakdown than wait for their repairs,” she said.

However, Mayor Councillor Hubert Fidze said while council refuse trucks were continuously down, plans were underway to procure new vehicles.

“We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused. We have only one truck working after two of our trucks had breakdown. We are, however, working on acquiring a new refuse trucks which should be received anytime from now,” Clr Fidze said.

He pleaded with residents to bear with his council.

“We are working round the clock to address the problem and very soon things will be back to normal,” Clr Fidze said.