News / National
Bulawayo requires US$38,000 for refuse trucks
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Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has disclosed that the local authority requires US$38,000 to fully restore its refuse collection fleet.
Speaking at the Bulawayo Economic Development Conference on Thursday, Coltart emphasized the need to address the city's waste management challenges. He said, "I received a report from our cleaning department in recent days stating that we need US$38,000 to get all of our refuse vehicles operational."
"This, ladies and gentlemen, is the harsh reality we face today," he added. "We spend US$18,000 on this conference, but we have uncollected rubbish in our city."
Coltart underscored the urgency of reassessing the city's priorities, stating that "all it takes to get all of our compactors working is US$38,000." He further explained that this reflects a critical need for change in the city's approach to resource allocation. "Our priorities have to change, and let me clarify, I'm not demeaning this conference."
Last week, the council commissioned refuse compactor trucks worth US$602,400 to improve waste collection and maintain a cleaner environment. However, officials noted that Bulawayo requires an additional 17 refuse trucks, with an estimated cost of US$2.56 million, to meet the growing demand.
Beyond addressing cleanliness, Coltart emphasized the importance of improving the city's overall efficiency to attract investment. "If we don't have a clean city, if we don't have an efficiently run city, we're not going to attract the investment we need to achieve our goals," he said.
The city has faced ongoing challenges, including illegal dumping and waste accumulation in high-density areas, contributing to worsening urban decay.
Speaking at the Bulawayo Economic Development Conference on Thursday, Coltart emphasized the need to address the city's waste management challenges. He said, "I received a report from our cleaning department in recent days stating that we need US$38,000 to get all of our refuse vehicles operational."
"This, ladies and gentlemen, is the harsh reality we face today," he added. "We spend US$18,000 on this conference, but we have uncollected rubbish in our city."
Coltart underscored the urgency of reassessing the city's priorities, stating that "all it takes to get all of our compactors working is US$38,000." He further explained that this reflects a critical need for change in the city's approach to resource allocation. "Our priorities have to change, and let me clarify, I'm not demeaning this conference."
Last week, the council commissioned refuse compactor trucks worth US$602,400 to improve waste collection and maintain a cleaner environment. However, officials noted that Bulawayo requires an additional 17 refuse trucks, with an estimated cost of US$2.56 million, to meet the growing demand.
Beyond addressing cleanliness, Coltart emphasized the importance of improving the city's overall efficiency to attract investment. "If we don't have a clean city, if we don't have an efficiently run city, we're not going to attract the investment we need to achieve our goals," he said.
The city has faced ongoing challenges, including illegal dumping and waste accumulation in high-density areas, contributing to worsening urban decay.
Source - online
