A waste picker from Richmond Landfill, known as Ngozi Mine, died on Wednesday after attempting to jump onto a moving refuse truck.
The man tripped, fell to the ground, and was run over by the truck. He succumbed to his injuries upon admission to Mpilo Central Hospital.
Richmond Landfill, located in Richmond, is where the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) disposes of garbage collected from around the city. Some people who live there survive by picking through the waste.
Bulawayo Police Spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, confirmed the accident.
“Police are investigating a case of sudden death at Ngozi Mine. A young man residing at Ngozi Mine jumped onto a moving refuse truck heading to offload at the landfill. He tripped and fell to the ground, and the truck ran over him,” Inspector Ncube said.
“He was subsequently taken to Mpilo Hospital, where he died on admission. We urge those involved in refuse collection to avoid jumping onto moving vehicles.”
A source who spoke to CITE said a group of men regularly wait for refuse trucks at the T-junction from the main road and jump onto them to control waste-picking.
“These men usually stand by the turn-off from the main road into the landfill. Their goal is to control the waste-picking process. Unfortunately, he fell from the truck, and it ran over him,” the source said.
