Ward 8 residents complain of health risks due to refuse dumping in suburb

Residents of Ward 8 in Bulawayo have raised concerns about garbage being offloaded at Nguboyenja for screening and grading, claiming it has turned the area into a breeding ground for flies and other health hazards, potentially leading to disease outbreaks.

Newman Ndlovu, a local resident, wrote to Ward Councillor Edwin Ndlovu regarding the issue.

"As the Councillor of Ward 8, and also the Deputy Mayor of Bulawayo City Council, I want to make it categorically clear that you have failed us, the people of Sotshangane flats and part of Nguboyenja, regarding garbage collection. Waste is being offloaded in our area near the Sotshangane Tower Light every Monday," Ndlovu wrote.

"The dumping of refuse in this area poses serious health risks to us residents living nearby. We have reported and discussed this issue repeatedly, yet it seems to fall on deaf ears. I thought it best to let you know directly, as our Councillor, that this situation is not acceptable and is a major concern for us."

Ndlovu added that he believes the councillor is aware of the issue but has not addressed it with residents.

"The Health Department at the City Council is also well aware, as we have reported it to them time and again. It is now very clear that no one is willing to listen to us. We are left with no option but to escalate this issue and demand action," he said.

"I urge you not to take this lightly. We are residents of this city and of Zimbabwe, and we deserve to be treated with respect. At the end of the day, we are the ones suffering from this negligence, and enough is enough."

"The residents elected you to represent them. From the start, I don’t recall you saying you’d be our servant, but this situation suggests that we are left to fight for ourselves."

In response, Councillor Ndlovu clarified that councillors are responsible for policy, not operations.

"We reported this issue to the relevant department, and they are working on it. The Ward Development Committee even proposed a new site," he explained.

"However, council operations don’t work in the way some may expect. Each department must provide input on the issue before an operational system can be implemented."