By Lubalethu Ndlovu
The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has raised concern at the increase in littering in the Central Business District especially in areas where people board public transport.
The commuting public has resorted to the ZUPCO buses due to the high commuter omnibus fares.
A single trip in a Zupco bus costs 50 cents while commuter omnibuses charge between ZWL$2 and ZWL$3.
Speaking during a full council meeting yesterday ward 13 Councillor Frank Jabangwe said littering has increased in the city since the introduction of the ZUPCO buses.
“Recently we have a lot of people loitering the city until 11 pm as they will be waiting for the ZUPCO buses to ferry them home and they cause a lot of littering,” said Jabangwe.
He added council employees have become overwhelmed and there was need for the local authority to introduce night shifts.
“We know that people leave town around 6 pm and go home but because of ZUPCO buses that has changed. I am asking the department of health to look into cleaners who work during the night to maintain city cleanliness.”
Meanwhile, the city`s finance committee chairperson Councillor Silas Chigora said the local authority was financially strained to engage more cleaners.
“The local authority cannot afford to extra cleaning services for the city, because that will mean taxing residents even more,” said Cllr Chigora.
He urged residents to be responsible so that they do not strain the council meagre finances.
“It is expensive to have more people picking up litter since no one is paying for that expense.”
In December, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the first Friday of each calendar month, the National Environment Cleaning Day, as part of efforts to ensure the country has sustainable environment management and waste disposal systems.
