A former beer garden in Bulawayo’s Burombo suburb has been converted into an illegal housing settlement, raising concerns among residents and community leaders who warn of a looming public health crisis due to the lack of basic sanitation facilities.
The Burombo beerhall, once a licensed drinking establishment, was leased to a private operator but has since been converted into makeshift accommodation and an informal manufacturing hub. At least five families, including workers and cross-border traders, are currently living on the premises without access to running water, electricity, or toilets.
Two small-scale manufacturing operations, one producing pots and the other manufacturing picks, hoes, and axes, are also operating from the site, where residents live alongside industrial machinery and empty beer containers.
Local leaders from Burombo and neighbouring Thorngrove say the facility is unsuitable for habitation and have called on the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to take urgent action.
Ward 8 Residents’ Chairperson, Charles Ncube, said the site poses a serious risk to public health.
“We are concerned about what is happening at our beer garden. This place is slowly deteriorating under our watch,” said Ncube. “There is no water, no toilets, and people are living among beer storage equipment. This should not be allowed.”
Ncube noted that those occupying the premises include traders who travel from neighbouring countries such as Mozambique and local workers employed by the manufacturing companies.
Residents reportedly pay around US$25 per month in rent, despite the lack of services.
“When people are using charcoal and gas for energy in a facility not designed for residential use, there’s a real risk of damage to the infrastructure or worse,” he added.
A visit by CITE revealed that water is fetched from nearby flats, and residents use gas stoves or charcoal for cooking. With no formal ablution facilities, some individuals relieve themselves in undesignated areas on-site, prompting concerns from the community.
Secretary for Health Services in the Burombo area, Jairos Maropa, said the lack of sanitation has become a serious hazard.
“There are no toilets, no water. Wastewater is disposed of at the entrance of the building. People squat on benches or open areas to relieve themselves. This is a disaster waiting to happen,” said Maropa.
Source: CITE
Source: CITE
