Pollution, degradation rampant in Gwanda

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A RECENT survey by the Matabeleland Environmental Justice Association (Meja) claims there is rampant land degradation, deforestation and water pollution in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Province, due to construction of houses on mountain tops.
(File Photo): Gwanda Municipality
(File Photo): Gwanda Municipality

A RECENT survey by the Matabeleland Environmental Justice Association (Meja) claims there is rampant land degradation, deforestation and water pollution in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Province, due to construction of houses on mountain tops.

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

Meja said its survey, conducted early this month to monitor “environmental injustices” in Gwanda, followed complaints by the public who raised concern over the level of environmental damage caused by the town’s “destructive housing programme”.

“It was noted that the housing planning for Gwanda Municipality is currently destructive to the mountain ecosystem as evidenced by the continuous construction of houses on top of mountains, especially in the Spitzkop area,” Meja chairperson Khumbulani Mpofu said.

“The municipality is currently operating with about five suburbs which include Garikayi, Ultra High, Spitskop Extension, Blomfortein and parts of Spitskop North Extension that are not electrified and residents are relying on firewood which they get from the nearby areas thus causing deforestation and subsequently desertification.”

Meja added: “Some of the listed suburbs in (2) above do not have access to water, forcing citizens to resort to the bush for ablution facilities thus resulting in increased littering.

“There is a lot of mining activities adjacent to Gwanda municipality area and these mining activities are causing a lot of land degradation, deforestation and water pollution through mining chemicals that are deposited in rivers and streams.”

Gwanda mayor Knowledge Ndlovu could not be reached for comment yesterday.

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