By Rex Mphisa
SOME concerned Beitbridge residents have appealed to the Municipality of Beitbridge (MoB) to remove litter in most open spaces particularly where people conduct businesses.
A resident posting on the Progressive Residents Whatsapp platform said litter at the fresh produce market called Speed was of concern.
“Good afternoon, please whoever is responsible for garbage collection can they please attend to the garbage piling up and rotting in the surrounding areas behind Speed market,” wrote the resident.
“This wet weather coupled with human excreta and the flies all over am sure we are brewing a cholera bomb. I would ask the authorities to visit the area now and see. I am not a camera fan but tomorrow I will try and capture pics and videos to share , it’s a serious mess right where food is sold,” said the resident.
“Without toilets the people are helping themselves (varikuzvi batsira!!!) ipapo you can imagine what recipe is this for the community,” said the resident.
The fresh produce market is central to all farm produce sold in Beitbdidge being the place reserved for wholesale from where all vendors in town but fruits, vegetables and fresh produce for resale.
Asked for comment, Beitbridge Town Clerk Loud Ramakgapola simply said “Bad”.
Despite MoB collecting about R30 from each of the hundreds of vendors and other wholesale traders thronging the market daily, the local authority has not built any toilets at this and other similar sites.
Some unscrupulous traders avoid the pay-toilets about 300 metres from “Speed” Market opting to use a bush between the market and the highway leading to the border post.
Another resident said many opens spaces in Beitbridge are used as dumbsites by residents from areas where refuse collection days are far apart.
A survey by Ziyah News Network showed that while refuse collection by MoB is reliable, the was need to increase frequency from once a week in some areas.
“While we admit the collection of refuse by MoB is regular, there is need to improve on frequency because once a see, no longer matches the litter generation,” said Enerst Moyo of Kwalu.
“Beitbridge has grown and a single refuse truck cannot match the demand. We always see that same truck but I feel its overwhelmed,” said Moyo.
MoB is understood to have send its other refuse truck to Bulawayo for repairs months ago but is yet to collect it.