By Sifelani Murambiwa.
Chiredzi, Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) – Vendors in Chiredzi have criticised Chiredzi Town Council for failing to mould lasting solutions to perennial rubbish collection problems at the town’s main vegetable market a development which might trigger another Cholera outbreak.
The market was forcibly shut down in 2008 by health officials after a deadly cholera outbreak resulted in the death of 100 people a situation which affected vendor’s livelily hoods whilst affecting the vegetable supply in Chiredzi.
Vendors have however re-established illegal dumping sites reacting to untimely garbage collection by the local authority.
A visit by News of the South to the vegetable market popularly known as “Kumagaraji” unearth a rot within councils service delivery system as hips of garbage some said to be months old were all over.
Vendors say they are paying for service delivery but all they are getting is a raw deal as council is failing to clear the garbage.
One vender Ruben Mafume said council’s failure to timely collect garbage at their market has created conditions which favour the breeding of mosquitoes and flies.
“Chiredzi Town Council collects a dollar per day from all vendors’ reason being they say it is for service delivery. As you can see there is no sign of service delivery. There no rubbish bins, we are just dumping our rotten vegetables everywhere and this has created breeding places for mosquitoes and flies,” said Mafume.
United Chiredzi Resident and Rate Payers Association Josphat Tizirai says Chiredzi risks another Cholera outbreak if Chiredzi Town Council fails to act to the garbage saga.
“Chiredzi risks another Cholera outbreak. The town council should place bins or find a proper disposal area where vendors can dump rotten produce. Surely Chiredzi will have another Cholera outbreak especially in this rain season,” said Tizirai.
Director for National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe Samuel Wadzai however blamed council for neglecting the welfare of vendors despite collecting money from them on a daily bases.
“Vendors have always been subject to bad treatment in each and every town and as NAVOS we want that corrected. Vendors are paying money to councils on a daily bases but they are getting nothing in return, Look at their working environments, there are no bins to accommodate the garbage despite us being the only source of fresh vegetables in Chiredzi,” said Wadzai.
Wadzai said vendors will run periodic clean up campaigns at their working places as a measure to control risks associated with operating on dirty environs.
“In Harare we are carrying out clean up campaigns because we know we want to operate on safe, clean and friendly environs but local authorities are tuning blind eye on us. We will coordinate ourselves in Chiredzi and run some clean up campaigns to reduce risks of Cholera risks whilst we work for the betterment of our families, “said Wadzai.
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