TATENDA CHIKARA
IN MASVINGO
Masvingo City Council’s dumpsite near Runyararo West and Victoria Ranch high density suburbs is a ticking health time bomb which has put the lives of the residents under serious threat, Business Times can report.
The local authority had previously promised to decommission the dumpsite from its current location as ‘too much smoke, strong odour and flies’ from a nearby dumpsite get into their homes.
But, this has not happened.
“Even if you decide to open the window, it doesn’t work, the smoke continues to get in, it also doesn’t matter it is raining the smoke do not die easily. This is a health threat, and we urge responsible authorities to assist,” a resident of Victoria Ranch, Ester Mamvura told Business Times.
Another resident, Rudo Maseko said that strong odour from the site was a serious challenge.
“If it was easy to get used to the strong odours that come from the dumpsite, we would have by now, but it can’t.
“There are dead dogs, animal skins which are thrown there and we are also fearful of our children’s health as clinical instruments are also thrown there as our children sneak to play there,” Maseko said.
A Runyararo West resident Gesture Hungwe said the Masvingo City Council should move in quickly to decommission the dumpsite.
“We ask the city council to intervene as a matter of urgency in removing the dumpsite, because when litter is burnt at the site the smoke that comes from the place is raising our blood pressures and asthmas. It is too much,” Hungwe said.
The Masvingo United and Ratepayers Alliance spokesperson Godfrey Mutimba told Business Times that residents of the two suburbs were concerned with the deteriorating situation and urged the city fathers to relocate the dumpsite.
“As residents’ representatives we are very much concerned about the situation in Runyararo West and Victoria Ranch,” Mutimba said.
He added: “Residents there are inhaling smoke from the dumpsite on a daily basis at a time we are fighting the Covid-19 pandemic which does not require things to do with breathing problems.
“At the same time the people who are asthmatic will suffer from attacks, so we are saying council should remove the dumpsite and put it where it was given by the government as a matter of urgency before peoples’ lives are at risk.”
Efforts to get a comment from Masvingo acting town clerk, Edward Mukaratirwa, were futile.
He did not respond to questions sent to him.
