By Promise Dube
Residents of Filabusi are voicing concerns over growing environmental issues, including dust from roads, noise pollution, and poor waste management, which they say pose serious health risks.
Speaking to CITE, Filabusi Residents Association Chairperson Lameck Ndlovu highlighted that these problems, if left unaddressed, could lead to harmful consequences for the community.
“The environmental contamination in Filabusi needs immediate attention,” Ndlovu said.
“The increase in litter could be due to the fact that those responsible for waste collection lack the necessary resources.”
Ndlovu urged the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), and the Insiza Rural District Council to collaborate on strategies to educate the public on proper waste disposal and recycling.
“They should start by engaging and teaching residents about the importance of recycling,” he said.
Beyond littering, Ndlovu pointed out the impact of noise pollution, particularly from local nightclubs and bottle stores.
“This noise is very disturbing to residents,” he said. “We hope the Insiza Rural District Council, which granted licences for these establishments, will provide them with guidelines to mitigate and information about the consequences of noise pollution.”
Another resident, Elson Mahlathini Ndlovu, raised concerns about dust from the quarry road near Filabusi District Hospital.
He noted that the dust poses a health risk to both patients and schoolchildren who frequently use the road.
“We hope this road can be repaired to protect people in the community,” he said, adding that dust inhalation could lead to respiratory issues like Tuberculosis.
He also warned about the improper disposal of items like diapers, which could wash into rivers during the rainy season and contaminate drinking water.
