Outcry over Masvingo’s failure to collect refuse

REGIS CHINGAWO IN MASVINGO

Vendors at Chitima Market, the biggest market in Masvingo, have expressed concern over the city council’s failure to collect refuse saying they are at risk of contracting diseases related to unclean environment.

The market houses over 2000 vendors.

The chairperson of the vendors at the market, Tamisai Katini told Business Times that garbage was piling at the market and their right to a clean environment was being violated.

Katini said the local authority must collect refuse on time before an outbreak of diseases.

“We are requesting the city council to urgently collect refuse at the market as we fear for our health. Rotten vegetables and tomatoes are not being collected on time thereby exposing us to diseases. City council must resolve the issue of erratic refuse collection,” Katini said.

Another vendor at the market, who refused to be named, said the local authority must move the dumpsite from the market as it was putting the vendors’ health at risk.

“The dump site which is at our vending place must be moved to another area. How can they put a dump site near the entrance of our vending place? It’s better if the dump site is moved elsewhere that is not near to the vending place as the local authority is failing to collect refuse on time,” the vendor said.

Other vendors said it was unfair that they were paying rentals to operate in the area but council was failing to collect refuse on time.

“We sometimes wonder why we are paying rentals yet we are being given a disservice by our local authority. City Council is collecting refuse in other areas of the city yet we are being left out and that is very unfair,” another vendor said.

Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance director Anoziva Muguti said the council must urgently deal with the issue.

“We are calling the local authority to give good service to the vendors by collecting refuse on time as the area has become a health time bomb. Council must also prioritise areas where a large population gathers because at the end of the day if a disease outbreak occurs, that will affect the whole population of the city,” Muguti said.

Masvingo city council public relations officer, Ashley Jinjika told Business Times that refuse at the area is only collected during the weekends.

“Unlike other areas in the city, refuse at the market is collected during weekends only with refuse collection vehicles availed to by the engineering department,” Jinjika said.

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