Bulawayo councillors have raised concerns over the health risks faced by waste pickers who conduct their work at Richmond Landfill, popularly known as Ngozi Mine.
The concerns were raised at a recent full council meeting, where Proportional Representation Councillor Minenhle Ncube highlighted that waste pickers at Ngozi Mine are facing a health risk due to lack of protective clothing.
“Your Worship, one of the places we visited on our tour of the city council projects was Ngozi Mine. There are people living there are doing waste picking. Can we not help them, as council, with protective clothing that will be useful in their line of work. We can get them gloves, face masks and overalls so that their health is not at risk. If they continue as they are, there will be loss of life,” Councillor Ncube said.
Ward 28 Councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu also weighed in, saying there are a lot of fires from Ngozi Mine that are causing air pollution which is affecting residents in Cowdray Park and other surrounding areas.
“People in Cowdray Park are being affected by air pollution. Refuse is always being burnt at the Ngozi Min. The residents now suffer from various diseases because of constantly inhaling smoke and polluted air,” Councillor Ndlovu said.
Ward 17 Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo suggested that the city council could help the waste pickers by conducting awareness campaigns on how to separate waste and dispose of it safely. She also suggested that the landfill could be barricaded to limit access and reduce the risk of fires.
In response, Bulawayo Mayor Councillor David Coltart said plans were underway to have big businesses partner with the council and SMEs to enhance the recycling of waste.
“We have partnered with big businesses around the city to help us address the issue of recycling. There are also some SMEs that are doing the same work. At the recently held meeting with the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA), there was a company that does recycling. We need to help these companies link with bigger ones so that this industry can grow in the city,” he said.
