Gwanda residents up in arms over “time bomb”

Karen Ndlovu

GWANDA- Garikai Ward 8 residents in Gwanda are fretting over a dumpsite deemed to be  a ticking health time bomb, amid heightened calls for council to decommission the site.

According to residents, the sprawling Garikai location is now within touching distance of the dumpsite which was initially meant to be a temporary measure but has now overstayed its welcome.

The dumpsite’s proximity to the residential area reportedly presents numerous challenges. “We are facing a serious challenge of waste being blown by the wind back into our homesteads. As you can see, it’s quite unfortunate for us that stay very close to the dumpsite.

Smoke and a strong smell of rotten waste emanates from the dumpsite into our houses, causing flies to descend on our homes…we fear for our health,” said a frustrated resident who identified himself as S.  Moyo.

“We feel cheated by council. Council doesn’t care about our welfare. We have little children who frequent the dumpsite where they are exposed to dangerous material like glass and metal objects, used condoms and face masks,” said another resident who preferred to remain anonymous.

However, ward 8 councilor, Ntuthuko Ndebele advised residents that the council intends to move the dumpsite to an area close to Magwe road.

“Recently, as the Health and Housing Committee we discussed this issue. The dumpsite in Garikai was always meant to be temporal and there is a resolution to the effect that the dumpsite in question should be moved. It has become a health hazard for residents,” said Ndebele.

Cllr Ndebele added that it is only a matter of time before the dumpsite is decommissioned.

“Anytime from now, we should be moving to a modern dumpsite that is a  landfill. We have already earmarked the site near Mangwe road and only waiting for proper equipment to start the work”  he said.

Ward 9 Councilor, Thulani Moyo said moving to a new dumpsite is long overdue.

” I’m sure the residents will jubilate once we move to a new dumpsite. The current dumpsite is too closer to the residential houses, shops and the polytechnic, which is not ideal,” said Moyo.

Moyo also took the opportunity to stress the need for  Gwanda residents to be educated on a refuse collection centre which works as a recycle bin.

“Our people need to be educated to know that a bottle of coke is not dirt but money, even some plastics are money. Some people are earning a living from that. I want to encourage people not to burn or throw away plastics and bottles. Companies come all the way from Bulawayo to buy these bottles and plastics from our refuse collection centres,” he said.

Councilor Moyo  promised that once the dumpsite has been decommissioned, it will be turned into a recreational facility as per environmental health health laws.