By Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube |
Zim GBC News Editor
BULAWAYO – The Bulawayo City Council is considering a significant shift in its enforcement strategy, with plans to deploy municipal police on a 24-hour basis to arrest litterbugs and curb illegal dumping, particularly after dark.
The proposed measure, revealed in the latest council minutes, comes in response to a surge in illegal activities at night that are compromising the city’s cleanliness and public health.
Councillors expressed deep concern over widespread littering, with some offenders even accused of defecating in plastic bags and discarding them on public streets.
During a recent full council meeting, Ward 17 Councillor Melisa Mabeza championed the call for nighttime by-law enforcement teams.
“There were a lot of illegal activities that took place after hours,” Cllr Mabeza said. “I had observed a big truck coming from outside the city offloading sugar cane in the central business district. The truck was blocking traffic and littering also took place; most vendors who came from outside the city fouled the environment.”
The discussion also highlighted a dangerous mishandling of medical waste. Ward 10 Councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu raised the alarm over the improper disposal of hazardous materials, which poses a severe risk to sanitation workers and waste pickers.
“Some of the medical waste found its way to the landfill site; this was very dangerous to refuse collection crews and waste pickers at the landfill site,” Cllr Ndlovu stated. “Medical waste should be handled and disposed of properly. The waste should be incinerated.”
If approved, the new 24-hour municipal police deployment would mark a stringent escalation in the city’s efforts to maintain order and hygiene, targeting offenders who have previously operated under the cover of night.
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