Health and Environment Reporter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BULAWAYO \u2013 Families in Cowdray Park are living in a state of constant health anxiety as toxic smoke from relentless fires at the Ngozi Mine landfill continues to engulf their homes, with residents and officials now demanding immediate and long-term solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every night, Kayleen Dube performs the same futile ritual: closing her windows tightly in a desperate attempt to keep the poisonous smoke out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBy morning, my children wake up coughing, and my elderly mother often complains of chest pains and headaches,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe breathe poison daily. We are living in fear because we do not know what this smoke will do to our health in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her story is a common one in the suburb, where the city\u2019s largest landfill has become a perennial health hazard due to poor management, a lack of equipment, and frequent fires often started by scavengers burning rubbish to extract metals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Memory Ncube, another resident, expressed deep frustration with the lack of action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe keep hearing promises but nothing changes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe smoke is dangerous; people have asthma and chest problems now, and still there is no action. It feels like we are forgotten people. We are also citizens who deserve clean air and a safe environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The situation is exacerbated by the absence of compactors, firebreaks, or proper waste separation at the dumpsite. Methane gas from decomposing waste further fuels the combustion, creating a cycle of pollution that nearby residents cannot escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Michael Ndlovu, a father raising his family near the mine, described the conditions as unbearable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPeople are struggling because of the pollution. We are breathing in toxic air every day, and the fires at Ngozi Mine never stop. Our children are growing up in a dangerous environment and the council must take this seriously,\u201d he urged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ward 28 Councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu acknowledged the severity of the crisis, describing it as a major health hazard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know the long-term effects of the smoke from Ngozi Mine, and we need a lasting solution,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He revealed that relocating the dump had been proposed but was deemed too costly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe city council said it would cost about US$4 million. Environmentalists suggested that we focus on compacting the waste. We support this, as proper waste management will reduce burning and smoke, protecting residents\u2019 health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The councillor also pointed to a potential opportunity, noting,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere is methane gas at Ngozi Mine\u2026 if we do proper waste separation, recycling, and set up a waste-to-energy plant, the site has the potential to produce a lot of electricity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whatever investment comes must also benefit the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A recent council report indicates that a permanent solution may be on the horizon. The Town Clerk, Christopher Dube, advised councillors that the government has directed all local authorities to manage landfill sites following Harare\u2019s Pomona model, where a private company generates energy from waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report stated that the Ngozi Mine site would be tendered out in line with public procurement regulations, promising proper management once the process is finalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For now, residents continue to wait, hoping that the promises of action will finally materialize into clean air for their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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