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Munyaradzi Doma in Zvishavane
Zvishavane Town Council is set to appear before the Environmental Management Board after failing to meet a recent order to stop discharging effluent into the environment. The Environmental Protection Order, handed in terms of the EMA Act, had been issued on July 13 and expired on August 13, 2017, whereby council should have addressed the issue of flowing sewage into the environment.

Council failed to adhere to the order and has to appear before the EMA board. EMA district environment officer for Zvishavane, Mrs Sally Maguwu said there were several environmental issues to be addressed, but council failed to do it in time. She said council had addressed some concerns raised by EMA.

“These include Escrow shops, the area behind Comoil Service Station, at Alliance Church, in Makwasha and near Zvishavane District Hospital and they also had to address the pump station at Kandodo Mabhula Treatment Plant. I can confirm that these areas have been attended to but, council is running out of time in terms of the order.” She said raw effluent was spilling into the environment because Mabhula Treatment Plant been down since 2005, with council failing to it.

“Failure to observe an Environmental Management Protection Order will lead to prosecution or appearing before the Environmental Management Board and for the town council, it’s the latter.” She said council have been made aware of the development. Town Secretary Mr Tinoda Mukutu confirmed the sewer challenges faced in Zvishavane, adding that they had resolved to resuscitate Mabhula Waste Water Treatment Plant at a cost of $200 000 to arrest sewer reticulation problems in the town.

“We are working on that, as you know Shabanie was a very small town and it is growing fast. And as management and council, we are trying to find a partner to assist us.”