The morning rays shines in my beauty. Their warmth penetrating smoothly into my pours.
In rhythmic movement with the wind, I sway my body posture to show my beauty. Reality has it down on me as I feel a heavy downpour on my toes.
Brunette Tshuma
Throwing their dignity in the trashcan, the Royalties of the country’s Second City, the abode of Kings and Queens, have continued to downgrade themselves through public indecency.
Practiced on a daily basis and on almost every Street of the Central Business District, it has become something seen as “normal”, yet it’s nature deem it unright.
Chapter 95, section 113 of the Environmental Public Health Act of 1987 states that
“No person shall urinate or defecate in or upon any street, arcade, vacant land, river, canal, ditch, drain or watercourse or in any place to which the public has access except in any sanitary convince provided for such purpose”
By this, any person practicing public urination can be sentenced, or made to pay a fine of US$5 according to Zimbabwean law.
The Environmental Public Health Act describes public space,
“as any place whether privately owned or not, to which the public have access.”
Ignoring that law however, Bulawayo residents operating in the Central Business District have accustomed themselves to public urinating.
This can be attributed to serious drinking habits, which have made it difficult for alcohol consumer’s to regulate their toilet visiting times.
In compensation for the late night hours after alcohol selling places have closed, consumers have adopted a tendency of buying alcohol in bulk and storing in cooler boxes for late night imbibing.
Much of these consumer’s drinking spots, however do not have access to public toilets hence making public urination the only alternative.
Lack of public toilets in the Bulawayo CBD have brought about this inhuman act among Bulawayo residents. Bulawayo CBD can count up to eight public toilets in the Central Business District with four free and four paid.
Taking advantage of their nature, and violating the actual reason of existence of these trees which is to freshen the environment, male drinkers have continuously abused urban trees by using them as toilets. Delivery lanes are not spares also.
It’s a shame that one can no longer stand beside a tree in comfortability and not choke on the smell of urine on them.
Its worse with delivery lanes as they are perfumed with putrid choking smell of urine and feaces.
It is not an exaggeration to say, the main liquid on the trees in the CBD is urine not clean water.
Zim GBC News had an interview with the National Tree Embassador Never Bonde, who confirmed the poisonous nature of urine on trees.
“If a person urinates on a tree, the trunk of that tree will start to rot because urine is very poisonous to trees”.
Mr Bonde gave reference of an area effected by public urination pointing to a supermarket along Jason Moyo street where there are no more trees at all.
“We’re losing thousands of trees because of people who are urinating on them”.
Contributing to this situation are the Kombi drivers who have also grown a tendency of urinating in containers and throwing them in the street. This has increased the odour in the streets making it unbearable for passer-bys.
Alleyways mostly referred to as “umkoto” which are meant for delivery have also been up-setted by this act of public indecency making them smelly and unfit for human use.
Female figures have also adopted this system, finding a suitable place for their children to urinate during the day. In the cover of the dark however especially along 3rd Avenue, females have also been spotted on the act of public urinating.
One can safely say, the nature of humanity have really been lost as the respect and fear between male and female have been jeopardized by this act.
Following the times in which the existing public toilets in the Bulawayo CBD were established, they were fit to save everyone. The growing numbers of Bulawayo residence have put demand for more public toilets to be established.
The Bulawayo City Council also ought to consider the positioning of these public toilets which remains an issue to many. An increase in number will not reduce public urination unless they are easily accessible to everyone.
Payments demanded from some of these public toilets have also made it easy for people like vendors to consider and embrace public urination as an option.
Most of these public toilets have one thing in common which is sanitary problems. With the general public all in need of these premises, cleanliness tend to be a problem when something is not personally owned.
An attempt to get a comment from the Bulawayo City Council , proved a futile with the spokesperson claiming to be out of office and asked that questions be e-mailed to her account.
The National Tree Embassador, Never Bonde in his statement also urged building owners to have toilets accessible to the public, especially in places where long queues are found.
“Building owners should consider the elderly and all those who have health issues”. Said Bonde
In his statement, Bonde also confirmed a written letter to and urged the City Council, the Health Sector and the police Force to form an operation to stop this public urinating tendency from the public.
” THE LAW IS NOT FAR BEHIND YOU, THE COURT OF JUSTICE IS NEAR YOU”.said Bonde warning all those who have grown comfortable in this illegal act.
Zim GBC News©2024