News / Local
Coltart pushes for tighter enforcement to keep Bulawayo clean
10 Jun 2025 at 17:40hrs | Views
Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has called for tougher enforcement of city by-laws to combat littering and improve the cleanliness of Zimbabwe's second-largest city. Speaking at an event on Monday where local hardware firm Altcom donated bins and cleaning equipment, Coltart expressed his vision for Bulawayo to become the "Singapore of Africa" - a city renowned for its immaculate environment and strong waste management culture.
Highlighting Singapore's strict penalties for littering, including fines starting at US$20, Coltart challenged Bulawayo's residents and stakeholders to raise cleanliness standards.
"Our dream is to become the Singapore of Africa. In Singapore, dropping a piece of gum can result in a minimum $20 fine, and the entire city is immaculate, as clean as your own kitchen. That should be our vision, and we must work relentlessly to achieve it," Coltart said.
He emphasised that maintaining a clean city is not only the responsibility of local authorities but requires collective commitment from everyone.
"I urge everyone to follow Altcom's example by donating bins and cleaning equipment. After all, we cannot fault residents for littering if proper facilities like waste bins are not provided," the mayor added.
Altcom's donation included 50 new waste bins and 30 brooms, supplementing the city's existing 213 bins. The city aims to increase this number to 576 bins to better serve the community.
Mayor Coltart also appealed to residents to adopt waste separation practices to aid recycling efforts at Richmond Landfill, also known as Ngozi Mine.
"Let's cultivate a culture of waste separation. We can label our bins — red for bottles, green for plastics, and blue for metals. This will make it easier for waste pickers to sort and recycle materials," he urged.
Bulawayo, once famous for its cleanliness, has faced challenges with waste management in recent years. Coltart's vision and the support from private sector partners like Altcom aim to restore the city's reputation and foster a sustainable, cleaner future.
Highlighting Singapore's strict penalties for littering, including fines starting at US$20, Coltart challenged Bulawayo's residents and stakeholders to raise cleanliness standards.
"Our dream is to become the Singapore of Africa. In Singapore, dropping a piece of gum can result in a minimum $20 fine, and the entire city is immaculate, as clean as your own kitchen. That should be our vision, and we must work relentlessly to achieve it," Coltart said.
He emphasised that maintaining a clean city is not only the responsibility of local authorities but requires collective commitment from everyone.
"I urge everyone to follow Altcom's example by donating bins and cleaning equipment. After all, we cannot fault residents for littering if proper facilities like waste bins are not provided," the mayor added.
Altcom's donation included 50 new waste bins and 30 brooms, supplementing the city's existing 213 bins. The city aims to increase this number to 576 bins to better serve the community.
Mayor Coltart also appealed to residents to adopt waste separation practices to aid recycling efforts at Richmond Landfill, also known as Ngozi Mine.
"Let's cultivate a culture of waste separation. We can label our bins — red for bottles, green for plastics, and blue for metals. This will make it easier for waste pickers to sort and recycle materials," he urged.
Bulawayo, once famous for its cleanliness, has faced challenges with waste management in recent years. Coltart's vision and the support from private sector partners like Altcom aim to restore the city's reputation and foster a sustainable, cleaner future.
Source - New Ziana
