Authorities, residents and civic groups in Bulawayo are calling for stronger collaboration, stricter enforcement of by-laws and improved vending spaces as part of efforts to tackle growing litter problems in the city’s central business district (CBD).
The worsening waste situation along 5th and 6th Avenue has largely been blamed on illegal vending and night trading activities, with stakeholders saying sustainable solutions are urgently needed to restore cleanliness in the city.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association Secretary for Environment, Khetiwe Tshuma, said the organisation had already initiated community clean-up campaigns and awareness programmes aimed at encouraging responsible waste disposal.
“As an organisation, we have conducted several clean-up campaigns with churches and also educated people on the importance of cleanliness, especially along 5th and 6th Avenue,” said Tshuma.
She said while littering remained a serious challenge, greater co-operation between authorities, vendors and residents could help improve the situation.
“We encourage vendors to participate in clean-up campaigns because they are among the major contributors to the littering problem. Whenever there is a clean-up campaign, they should be at the forefront,” she said.
Tshuma also called on government and council authorities to strengthen enforcement of anti-littering by-laws.
“We are urging the government to intervene because most of the people selling there do not comply with city council by-laws relating to littering,” she said.
According to Tshuma, littering is not confined to 6th Avenue, but has also become common around the market area along 5th Street where traders often leave behind waste after business hours despite the availability of bins.
“The city council has placed large bins there, but many people do not use them and instead litter indiscriminately,” she said.
Ward 23 Councillor and Chairperson of the Health, Housing and Education Committee, Ntombizodwa Khumalo, said council was now exploring several interventions, including increased municipal police patrols and the introduction of night shifts to monitor illegal vending activities.
“We are trying our best as council and are considering introducing night shifts to address the issue because a lot of illegal vending now happens after municipal police officers knock off duty,” said Khumalo.
She said council was also working on long-term solutions by allocating vending bays along Lobengula Street to help decongest 5th Avenue and create more organised trading spaces.
“We are in the process of allocating vending bays along Lobengula Street to decongest 5th Avenue. We will also increase inspection vehicles and deploy more municipal police officers in the affected areas,” she said.
Khumalo added that solving the problem would require collaboration between council, government and political stakeholders.
“Unless government and political parties work together with council to fight illegal vending, the problem will persist,” she said.
Bulawayo City Council Cleansing Superintendent, Nkanyiso Ndlovu, said council was already enforcing fines against illegal dumping, with penalties reaching as much as US$1,000 for serious offences.
“Dumping litter in undesignated areas attracts fines depending on the amount of waste involved. If it is a large amount, the fine can go up to US$1,000,” said Ndlovu.
However, he noted that identifying offenders remained difficult because council required prosecutable evidence before fines could be issued.
Residents who spoke to CITE said solutions should balance cleanliness with the economic realities forcing many people into vending.
Xoliswa Mpofu from Sunninghill said many vendors were trying to survive in a difficult economy.
“Most of these vendors are not selling because they want to break the law, but because they are trying to feed their children and survive where jobs are hard to find,” said Mpofu.
She said authorities should create cleaner and safer trading spaces while also ensuring the city remains tidy.
Another resident, Denzel Ndebele from Selbourne Park, said both residents and vendors needed to take responsibility for protecting the city environment.
“Council can provide bins and enforce strict laws, but vendors and residents must also stop dumping litter carelessly because the dirt is now affecting everyone,” he said.
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