Two urgent issues dominated Bulawayo City Council proceedings this week, a crippling car shortage that is seriously impeding service delivery and the growing problem of illegal dumping and littering caused by insufficient sanctions. During Wednesdayās full council meeting, councillors demanded quick adjustments to Bulawayoās severely broken procurement mechanisms and sanctions as a result of the twin disasters. The discussion on public cleanliness began with Councillor Melisa Mabeza expressing concern over the heavy littering caused by illegal vending activities.
Councillor Octavius Dumisani Nkomo strongly concurred, noting that existing fines were failing as a deterrent and suggested a dramatic review, noting in other cities the fine is US$100. āIn other Cities like the City of Victoria Falls, littering fines were pegged at US$100. The same should apply in the City,ā Nkomo said.
Councillor Mmeli Thobeka Moyo supported this motion and proposed establishing community enforcement teams across all wards to ensure compliance. Mayor, Senator David Coltart reinforced the necessity of higher fines, citing a recent incident where a local businessman caught dumping refuse along Cecil Avenue paid a mere $30 fine, which was not deterrent enough. He argued that this nominal amount was far below the dumping fees at the official Landfill Site, encouraging illegal activity.
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The Mayor proposed that fines should be raised up to US$300 per tonne on trucks dumping and littering the City to make the penalty meaningful. Shifting focus, the meeting turned to the dire state of the Councilās fleet, as highlighted by Councillor Aleck Ndlovu. The department owns 20 vehicles, but a shocking 12 were reported to be in the workshop, leaving only eight operational. Councillor Ndlovu inquired whether the Councilās vehicle workshops were sufficiently equipped to deal with the required repairs, noting that some vehicles were grounded for minor faults that required only small spare parts.
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