BULAWAYO councillors have expressed concern at the erratic manner in which refuse is being collected in the city, saying the termination of the contract for refuse collection services had been ill conceived.
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According to council minutes, councillor Clyton Zana said no replacement vehicles had been procured after termination of the contract for refuse collection services.
“If council has not realised any savings as envisaged, then the termination of that contract should be considered as ill-conceived and there is need for a review of the matter,” he said.
Councillor Silas Chigora concurred with Zana, noting that the idea of terminating the contract with Waste Management Services had been to save money in order for council to procure its own refuse collection fleet.
“The idea was considered better than outsourcing” he said.
Councillor Siboniso Khumalo highlighted refuse collection trucks were constantly breaking down. “Refuse has not been collected for the past two months and the recent rains have turned the situation into a health hazard,” he said.
“The local authority should make tippers and open trucks available to collect refuse in the wards.”
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Mayor Martin Moyo said he had received a complaint from a resident in Ward 27 that their house was near a dumpsite and could experience a hazard.
“The department concerned was therefore urged to double efforts in ensuring that all refuse was removed as soon as possible,” he said.
However, councillor James Sithole said the local authority was still committed to procure its own vehicles to ease the problem of refuse collection.
“Plans are in place and the department is awaiting the imminent delivery of two refuse compactor trucks, which were being funded internally,” he said.
“It is not ideal to utilise revenue funds in the purchase of capital items as this arrangement is not practical, but plans are in place to secure bank funding for this purpose.”
The local authority ditched a refuse contractor in an effort to save money, but this has created challenges in collecting garbage.
