Toxic smoke returns to haunt Cowdray Park residents

Cowdray Park residents say toxic smoke from the Richmond landfill, commonly known as the Ngozi Mine dumpsite, is beginning to return to residential areas as the rainy season comes to an end. For months, the rains had brought rare relief, dampening fires that had turned daily life into a battle for breath. Now, as the dry conditions set in, residents say the choking fumes and ash that once defined their nights are already reappearing, raising fears of another prolonged period of suffering.

Families living within a kilometre of the dumpsite describe how smoke seeps into their homes, clinging to walls, furniture and clothing. Some say the air becomes so heavy that they are forced to keep doors and windows open throughout the day and night in a desperate attempt to breathe, even as soot continues to settle inside. During previous hot months, the landfill burned almost continuously, sending thick, dark plumes across the suburb and affecting hundreds of households.

Nearby schools, including Tategulu Primary School and Cowdray Park Secondary School, were not spared, with lessons frequently disrupted when the smoke intensified. Residents say the fires, some lasting around the clock, have left them feeling trapped in their own neighbourhood. Cowdray Park residents’ representative Michael Ndlovu who spoke to Cite said the situation had reached intolerable levels and demanded urgent relocation of the landfill.

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“To be precise and straight to the point, as Cowdray Park residents, we want to see that landfill relocated out of Cowdray like yesterday. The smoke issue is a big problem here. We have primary schools and a secondary school a stone’s throw from that site.

On serious days, classes are forced to stop,” he said. Ndlovu warned that the health consequences could worsen over time, particularly for those already vulnerable. “Many people with various ailments are being seriously affected. With time, people are going to have diseases that we don’t even know.

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