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Midlands Bureau Chief
GARBAGE is piling up in many parts of Gweru after the city council stopped collecting refuse following the breakdown of its refuse collection truck.

This has led to an increase in illegal dumping sites as residents have resorted to dumping waste on open spaces and wetlands.
Refuse collection bins at shopping centres such as Mkoba 6, Toyo in Mkoba 15 and Mkoba 16 are now overflowing as residents and business owners continue dumping litter which is not being collected.

Residents said it has been three weeks since council collected refuse from homes and business areas.

“I am a business person at Mkoba 6 shopping centre and the situation is bad. There is litter everywhere as the council has not been collecting garbage for the past three weeks. We don’t know why this is happening,” said Mr Mark Ncube.

He said the culture of not collecting refuse by the local authority exposes residents to diseases related to an unclean environment, especially children.

Public health

Those running flea markets at Mkoba 6 shopping centre said they fear for their health since they are literally living with garbage.

“We were unfortunate in that we were given vending spaces close to the dump site or where council refuse bins are located.

“So residents and business people at this shopping centre have been dumping litter upon litter and now it is overflowing to our vending stalls,” said Mrs Juliet Manyundo.

City of Gweru public relations officer Ms Vimbai Chingwaramusee

She said the local authority must come up with mechanisms to clear dumpsites around the city all the time.

City of Gweru public relations officer Ms Vimbai Chingwaramusee said council was facing challenges with its skip bin truck which is down.

“We have a skip truck that we use to collect refuse and it’s currently down. But we have engaged other departments to avail trucks, lorries, tractors to ensure that we clean the city,” she said.