Garbage remains uncollected for 2 years

News
RESIDENTS in Gweru’s Woodlands Park suburb have accused the city council of failing to collect garbage for the past two years, although it demanded them to pay refuse fees each month.

RESIDENTS in Gweru’s Woodlands Park suburb have accused the city council of failing to collect garbage for the past two years, although it demanded them to pay refuse fees each month.

BY Stephen Chadenga

The residents told this to Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere during a tour of the suburb on Wednesday.

“We have not seen refuse trucks coming to collect garbage since we started staying here some two years ago,” a resident, Charles Chizondo, said.

“It is now a norm for us to bury our garbage in the ground or just throw it in the open because there is no other option.”

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Kasukuwere expressed dismay at the deplorable situation in the suburb before ordering city fathers to work out a plan to collect garbage.

The chairperson of the commission running the affairs at council, Tsunga Mhangami, had notified Kasukuwere that the roads in the area were impassable for refuse trucks.

“This situation is unacceptable for the health of residents and there can be a disease outbreak any time. You (city fathers) should work out something to make sure refuse is collected here,” Kasukuwere said.

Acting director of health services Christopher Ruwodo said council would use a tractor-drawn trailer to collect garbage in the area although he said the exercise would be “very expensive”.

Council’s refuse fleet has depleted over the years, with only two reliable vehicles servicing the whole city.