CHINHOYI – COUNCIL workers are failing to collect refuse because they are busy prioritising
recyclable waste, competing with people collecting reusable waste, residents have complained.
In interviews after the recent Solid Waste Management Symposium, Community Based
Organizations (CBOs) condemned council workers for failing to deliver quality service in
garbage collection.
Joshua Chimanga of Moychi Waste Management and the President of Solid Waste Management
Mashonaland West (SWAMA), suggested that council monitors its workers, because they were
collecting only recyclable waste, in the process neglecting their core function.
There was no justifiable reason for council to fail to collect refuse.
They should make extra shifts to clear dumpsites in suburbs or hire private collectors if they
cannot.
Sydney Mutandi of National Waste Collection Chinhoyi said that there was a clash between the
council and the (CBOs), because they could be collecting at TM Supermarket but could be
stopped and the council collects everything.
Council workers had established their own designated areas or dumpsites where they leave the
recyclable waste and collected it at the end of each month.
He suggested that CBOs be offered clearance passes that they could produce at different intervals
to be allowed to work freely. This is because they were facing challenges of being chased away
when collecting at some points.
It would be helpful if we have clearance passes that will give us access to certain areas or
organisations because during the recent graduation at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT)
we had trouble entering, even though they had called us.
We were also not allowed to make the second load, when we would have hired a truck to carry
the recyclable waste, said Mutandi.
Council’s spokesperson, Tichaona Mlaudzi, was not immediately available for comment.