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Clr Fidze

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
Residents of Masvingo City’s Runyararo suburb are relieved after council finally secured land to open a new dumpsite, almost four years after the existing one was condemned.

The residents had been at loggerheads with the city for a long time, as the existing dump site, which is located adjacent to Runyararo, was now viewed as a health time bomb. Residents, as a result, vigorously pushed for its decommissioning. The dump site was increasingly becoming a health hazard for Runyararo suburb since it was notorious for endless pollutants, including flies.

Masvingo mayor Councillor Hubert Fidze last week said council secured land from the Cold Storage Company (CSC) to open a new dump site, and plans for the project were already at an advanced stage.

“We have secured a piece of land from CSC to set up our new dump site at the company’s farm along Bulawayo Road,” he said.

Cllr Fidze said the local authority will sign a lease of agreement with CSC for the project.

“Initially, we had been given a piece of land at Townlands Farm, but we later discovered that it was not a good site for a dump site considering its location. We had also been offered another piece of land to open a dump site at Standard Farm along the Great Zimbabwe Highway, but we concluded that the area was also not conducive,” he said.

Cllr Fidze implored residents to be patient.

“I urge our residents to be patient as this (opening a new dump site) cannot be done overnight,” he said. “We should first of all meet Environmental Impact Assessment requirements. We have to pay the Environmental Management Agency for the EIA to be done before we do anything on the site.”

Masvingo Ratepayers and Residents Alliance spokesperson Mr Godfrey Mutimba hailed council for urgently attending to the problem in the country’s oldest town. Mr Mutimba said the dump site in Runyararo exposed residents to the risk of diseases.

“This (plans to open a new dump site) is a welcome development because the dump site in Runyararo West is giving residents in the suburb sleepless nights,” he said.

“Besides, pollution and flies from the dump site are a constant menace to the residents in that area. The bad odour coming from the dump site is unbearable.”