Bulawayo Suffocates Under Trash as Council Fleet Breaks Down

Bulawayo residents are suffocating under a worsening garbage crisis, with refuse left uncollected for more than three weeks.

Streets are clogged, cholera fears are rising, and illegal waste burning has become a desperate last resort, all triggered by the breakdown of 11 out of 15 council compactors.

The crisis began in early October when the city’s waste collection fleet suffered widespread mechanical failures.

By mid-month, only four compactors remained operational, while the rest were grounded for repairs or servicing.

This led to a halt in trash removal across several suburbs, triggering a public health scare.

Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube confirmed the situation in a public notice, saying,

“The City of Bulawayo would like to advise residents and stakeholders of refuse collection challenges for the past few weeks.

“This is due to refuse compactor mechanical challenges. Areas that have not been serviced for the three weeks will be attended to in the coming week.

“The City of Bulawayo sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused.”

Director of Health Services Dr Edwin Mzingwane said council is working urgently to restore services.

“We have four new compactors that council took delivery of in April this year that were due for service as determined by the distances they had travelled.

“We also have 11 compactors undergoing repairs. Our hope is that council will not face procurement delays in acquiring spare parts.”

In April, council invested US$602,400 in four new compactors, each costing US$150,600.

This brought the fleet to 15, although officials now admit that at least 30 trucks are needed to adequately service all areas.

As the backlog worsens, residents have resorted to burning garbage — a move condemned by authorities.

“It’s a criminal offence under the EMA Act to burn refuse and we urge residents to desist from that practice.

“The situation is dire, but we are trying our best to ensure waste is collected at least once a fortnight while repairs continue,” warned Dr Mzingwane.

The impact is most visible at Renkini Bus Terminus, where vendors say the stench from rotting waste has made the area unbearable.

“Refuse has not been collected since 20 October and it continues to pile up, making working here unbearable because of the smell.

“We now fear an outbreak of cholera, which could spread fast across Matabeleland since this terminus serves people from all corners of the region,” said Mrs Eunice Moyo, a fruit vendor

Mr Promise Ncube, another vendor, said they have resorted to piling waste in one corner of the terminus.

“We appeal to council to collect the waste at least twice a week. Many people use the terminus daily, so waste builds up quickly,” he said.

In Pumula East, residents have stopped placing bins outside, opting to store refuse in plastic bags within their yards.

“It’s better to keep our refuse in plastic bags inside our yards until council resumes collection,” said one resident.

The situation is equally dire in the city centre’s market area, where recent rains have worsened the decay of discarded produce.

Vendors fear the waste could be washed into storm drains, causing blockages and further health risks.

To ease collection efforts, council is urging residents to separate their waste.

“We also urge residents to separate their waste for instance, leftover food from plastic bottles and cardboard to make the work of our teams easier,” said Dr Mzingwane.

Council has promised that normal garbage collection will resume within two weeks.

But with health risks rising and frustration mounting, residents say the city must act faster to avoid a full-blown emergency.

– The Herald