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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Beitbridge municipality has entered into a partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in a programme that will improve its capacity in solid waste management.

As part of the programme, IOM is sponsoring the mounting of 150 street bins along major roads and business centres used by close to 13 000 travellers who pass through the town daily.

Beitbridge’s director of Environmental and Health Services, Mr Pio Muchena said the initiative was being rolled out under their Water and Sanitation Health (WASH) facility targeting hot spot areas frequented by the migrant population.

He said beside the bins, IOM had also donated five water tanks with a combined carrying capacity of 25 000 litres, which have since been mounted at strategic places around the town.

“The programme is meant to address some of the challenges we experienced in the last few weeks. There was too much littering as many roads were congested with vehicles as people crossed into either South Africa or Zimbabwe through Beitbridge Border Post,” said Mr Muchena.

“When IOM came on board, we then mapped all the littering red zones and realised we need a total of 150 street bins and so far, we have mounted 75 in the CBD and the highway leading to Bulawayo and Harare. ”

He said they were going to mount more bins around Dulivhadzimu long-distance bus terminus and the business centre at Engen Service Station, which are frequented by the migrant population daily.

Mr Muchena said each of the five water tanks with a carrying capacity of 5000 litres, had been mounted and fitted with taps at selected places.

These include Dulivhadzimu Business Centre, near the entrance to the border post, at Engen Service Station, at the NSSA quarantine centre, and near the Roman Catholic Centre.

“Access to clean water is one important aspect of managing the Covid19 pandemic and hence these water tanks have been strategically located to cater for all the migrant population passing through Beitbridge town,” said Mr Muchena.

He said the local authority will keep courting more partners to address issues of solid waste management.

The town is produccing 1200 tonnes of waste per month with the local authority only managing to collect at least 700 tonnes.