By Ndumiso Tshuma
The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is exploring ways to improve urban cleanliness, strengthen law enforcement, and repair essential waste management equipment.
Ward 7 Councillor Thandiwe Moyo said the local authority aims to increase the number of community sweepers to better maintain hygiene standards in her area.
“In Ward 7, we currently have 15 community sweepers, but the workload is too much. We are requesting an additional five sweepers to help keep the city clean,” said Cllr Moyo.
The matter was raised during a full council meeting held earlier this month, as part of ongoing efforts to create a cleaner and safer environment for residents.
Ward 22 Councillor Bruce Moyo addressed concerns over law enforcement, acknowledging that while the council has made efforts to increase the number of officers, challenges remain.
“In the past year, we’ve seen the council trying to boost the number of law enforcement officers to ensure by-laws are upheld. However, to be frank, some of these issues are beyond our control,” said Cllr Moyo.
“It is unfortunate that we are operating in a political climate where politics often overrides the law. As a council, we have made every effort to restore order in the central business district. But residents need to understand that the root of the problem is political.”
He called for higher-level dialogue, urging political leaders to intervene.
“We’ve done all we can as a council. We’ve increased law enforcement, but the real issue is political. We need to address the root cause, not just the symptoms. If political players commit to restoring order in Bulawayo, the situation could be resolved in under 24 hours.”
Meanwhile, Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart revealed that 13 refuse compactors are currently non-functional, with repair costs estimated at US$38 900.
“We have received a report from the head of the cleansing department indicating that 13 of our refuse compactors are out of service,” said Mayor Coltart.
“The cost to repair and return them to operation is US$38 900. To put that into perspective, purchasing a new compactor costs around US$150 000 per unit. If we invest US$38 000, we can potentially get 13 vehicles back on the road.”