Government has announced that it will be taking over the collection and management of solid waste in a move aimed at addressing the mounting garbage crisis in Harare.
This decision comes after the Harare City Council failed to effectively remove heaps of garbage and provide functional systems for waste management withing the capital city of Zimbabwe.
During a post-cabinet briefing yesterday, Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said government had responded to a formal request from the Harare City Council to intervene in the dire situation.
“The Harare City Council has also formally requested that the Central Government take over the collection of solid waste management, citing the local authority’s inability to perform the mandate as expected.
“The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is now working on putting in place functional systems, companies and institutions to collect refuse,” said Muswere.
Muswere added that the council, despite levying and collecting rates for waste management, “it has continuously failed to provide functional systems for solid waste management.”
According to the 2nd and 3rd schedules of the Urban Councils Act as indicated by Muswere, the Harare City Council is responsible for removing and treating effluent, refuse, and human waste within its jurisdiction.
However, the council’s failure to do so has resulted in the proliferation of uncollected garbage and illegal dumpsites throughout the city.
“The failure is evidenced by the existence of heaps of uncollected garbage and mushrooming illegal dumpsites all over the city,” Muswere added.
