Gwanda Municipality fails to collect refuse

The cash troubled Municipality of Gwanda has failed to collect refuse in the town for the last two weeks.

A general tour of the town revealed several refuse collection points piling up with garbage of various kind ranging from vegetables to waste paper amongst others. The worst affected areas are the busy Central Business District and the Old Jahunda Township.

Residents and business people have raised concern at the uncollected refuse particularly amidst the heavy rains the town has been experiencing leading to some of the waste being washed away into their yards and business areas. The biggest refuse dump that remains uncollected is within metres of the town's busiest flea market and right in front of one of the town's largest retail shops Macinn Supermarket which sells a host of food stuffs raising fears of a health hazard.

A flea market operator in the area Mr Zenzo Sibanda who trades in various artifacts imported from South Africa said that the uncollected refuse was turning away business as people could not afford to do business in a stinging environment.

"Am sure you can also feel the smell my brother, how long can you stand here and talk to me? We have to endure this for 12 hours and hope people can come and do business. Its been like this for two or three weeks now.," said a dejected Sibanda.

Elsewhere a drive around Jahunda Township showed an equally shocking picture with litter scattered in front of people's houses visibly piling up for a while now. Residents expressed their dismay at the delays or failure by council to collect the refuse.

Some of the refuse has been wiped by the rains into the drainage systems on the roadsides blocking the storm water drains causing massive flooding some of which is finding its way into the shops and houses. Some small children were seen having fun in the blocked drainage canals oblivious of the health risk and dangers of drowning that may occur.
"We don't know what is happening cause council has not explained anything but they haven't collected the refuse for three weeks now," said Samukeliso Dube a resident of Old Jahunda Town Township.

Efforts to get a comment from the Town Engineer were fruitless as he was said to be in a meeting. However a council employee at the town's engineering department said the problem was to do with shortage of money to get diesel for the refuse truck. The municipality levies residents a separate fee for refuse collection in its tariffs.