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Mash West Correspondent
Sporadic refuse collections have left residents from the decommissioned copper mining town of Mhangura distressed and fearing for their health, as Mashonaland West province battles a cholera outbreak in Chegutu.

Residents recently said Makonde Rural District Council had neglected refuse collection services last year and had not resumed operations despite a cholera outbreak in the province.

The council was named the worst performing local authority in Mashonaland West province by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo recently. While some local authorities in Mashonaland West have effected measures to help reduce cholera, residents here blamed the council for not doing much to avoid or stop the spread of the disease.

“Refuse collection is not being done and people dump waste everywhere and anywhere. Our local authority is not doing enough in terms of refuse collection and it is worrying us as the nation is currently battling with a cholera pandemic,” said Mr Major Kachingwe.

Another resident bemoaned the lack of a dumpsite.

“Other local authorities have stepped up efforts in all the facets to make sure that the spread of the pandemic is reduced or stopped, but our local authority has somehow turned a blind eye on that,” Mr Trymore Sainabu said.

“Management of waste is not taken so seriously and no dumping site has been made available by the council, thereby making it hard to manage waste.”

Another Mhangura resident said local food outlets were also a health threat in the town.

“We hear that other local authorities like Chinhoyi Municipality and Karoi Town Council closed down food outlets to curb imminent cholera outbreaks, but Makonde Rural District Council has not yet done so despite the fact that improper food outlets are dotted all over the mining town,” Mr Mike Banda said.

Efforts to get comment from Makonde Rural District Council social service officer Mrs Ndaizivei Mwale were futile. But sources at the local council said Mhangura residents had not been paying for services since 2013, rendering service delivery a nightmare.

Environmental Management Agency Mashonaland West education and publicity officer Munyaradzi Nhariswa said his organisation would soon crack down on local authorities failing to collect refuse and manage waste.