Council to introduce night-time refuse collection

TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO 

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is planning to introduce night-time refuse collection as a way of reducing the sprouting of numerous dumpsites around the city.

Speaking at the launch of the Spring Cleaning Week on Monday, City of Bulawayo mayor, Solomon Mguni, said increased littering and dumping has been affecting the city over the months, worsened by its failure to collect refuse due to fleet breakdowns.

 He said the local authority has identified about 35 hot spots in the central business district which are an eyesore, filled with litter.  Other areas will be covered, Mguni said.

“…going forward, the council has resolved to conduct night cleaning in a bid to rid the city of waste and also ensure a clean environment,” he said.

The spring cleaning week started on Monday and will end tomorrow (Friday) 

The Minister of State and Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Judith Ncube, who also spoke at the launch of the Spring Cleaning Week, said littering by residents has become an embarrassment. 

“As we are cleaning here, most of the empty bottles here have been turned into chambers. It’s an embarrassment to the city,” Ncube said.

Ward 1 councillor, Mlandu Ncube weighed in saying: “The challenge that we have is people are no longer using the bins that are available. They just throw litter everywhere. I don’t believe that there is a shortage of bins in Bulawayo. What I see is the bad attitude by our people in the city.”