A Bulawayo City Council cleaner reportedly used a public toilet urinary section as a storeroom, where he would store vendors and commuter omnibus operators’ goods in exchange for money, exposing residents to health risks.
Chief Reporter
The employee kept varied stuff from an ox head, to stockfeed, to household goods in the public toilet.
According to a confidential report by the city council’s audit committee, seen by the Southern Eye, a Mazira was accused of receiving 59 various items from touts and vendors and charging $1 “as token of appreciation”.
Acting from an anonymous tip, council set up a sting operation on Mazira, who was spotted closing the said public toilet at 5pm instead of the stipulated 6pm.
He was seen taking delivery of assortment of goods, violating the Bulawayo public health by-laws of 1966 section 15 (1) that state “No person shall damage, destroy, dirty or make improper use of any sanitary convenience wherever situated”.
“After the staff manning the toilet had knocked off, audit secured the site by deploying two security guards to man the place until the next morning, when the toilets were opened to the public.
“The toilets were opened in the presence of audit and security personnel.”
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The audit commit conducted interviews with commuters, touts and vendors and several council staff. One tout, Phumulani Ndlovu of New Lobengula is said to have had in August left “his bag containing an ox head” kept at the toilet corridor overnight.
“Ndlovu admitted to audit that he gave Muzira $1 for keeping his goods in the toilet.” Acting overseer (cleansing section) a Jele, confirmed to the audit committee that she had seen certain items including stockfeed kept in the toilet corridor.
“The audit committee said: “There is evidence that council property was abused by Mazira.
The cleaner is not denying receiving tokens of appreciation from his prospective clients.
“Although there is no monetary loss to council, reputation and image risk and exposure to contagious diseases of the Bulawayo community are as cause for concern.”
The committee recommended refresher courses for supervisors and staff manning public toilets should be conducted.
