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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter

BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has started its programme to collect refuse in the city centre at night but is facing some challenges as some residents are not putting out their bins for collection.

Council announced last week that it has been forced to collect refuse in the city centre at night because garbage is piling up.

The local authority said refuse is being collected daily from 8pm to 6am as it battles to clear the garbage especially in areas where vendors are operating from.

BCC, which was once declared one of the smartest cities in Southern Africa, is failing to keep the city clean and is blaming this on illegal vendors operating from undesignated areas in the city.

Residents have resorted to dumping garbage in open spaces and sanitary lanes because council has not been collecting refuse regularly.

Responding to questions council’s corporate communications manager Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said while the night refuse collection has started, it was too early to analyse its success.

“Night refuse collection started on Monday this week on a good note. However, meaningful assessment of the programme can be given later on,” said Mrs Mpofu.

She however, said in some areas council workers failed to access some of the premises.
Mrs Mpofu said council consulted residents before introducing the night refuse collection hence expects residents and other property owners to ensure their premises are accessible.

“The teams could not collect garbage in some areas hence we are urging property owners to ensure their bins are accessible,” she said.

Mrs Mpofu said residents should not dump garbage outside their premises even if the teams fail to collect the bins.

“We will definitely collect the refuse and all we are asking property owners to do is to ensure bins are accessible. We need to work together to keep our city clean,” she said.

Council last week warned residents that they risk being prosecuted and forced to dispose of garbage at their cost if they do not avail their bins for collection.

In an interview last Thursday, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said council intends to remove vendors from the city centre to effectively address the perennial problem of littering and illegal dumping of waste in the city centre.

He said council has engaged the police to assist in removing the illegal vendors.
Mr Dube said before removing vendors from the city centre, council wil avail alternative vending places.

He said council also intends to remove vegetable wholesalers from operating in the city centre.

“We don’t want vegetable wholesalers in the city centre hence plans are underway to also remove them,” said Mr Dube.

He said council was in the process of introducing new vendors and hawkers’ by-laws as the existing legislation is outdated.–@nqotshili