Author: Nkosilamandla Kunene, Greenlead Zimbabwe Country Rep.

The Bulawayo City Council has been facing intense criticism for its poor service delivery in waste collection. Residents have complained about the irregular collection of waste, leading to overflowing bins and littered streets. This has not only created an eyesore but also poses serious health risks to the community, including the spread of diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever. The council’s failure to collect waste regularly has also led to the proliferation of pests and rodents, which can carry diseases. For instance, the city’s central business district has become notorious for its overflowing bins and littered streets, making it a breeding ground for diseases.

With poor waste collection comes poor waste disposal. The Bulawayo City Council has been dumping waste at Ngozi Mine, a former asbestos mine located on the outskirts of Bulawayo. The dumping of waste at the site poses serious environmental and health risks. The mine’s proximity to residential areas and water sources makes it a ticking time bomb, threatening the health and well-being of thousands of people.

To make matters worse, the waste dumped at Ngozi Mine is often set alight, releasing toxic fumes into the atmosphere. The burning of waste is not only a health hazard but also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change, which has devastating impacts on the environment, human health, and the economy. The burning of waste also releases particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds, which can cause respiratory problems, cancer, and other health issues. While the Public Health Act (Chapter 15:09) requires that waste be disposed of in a way that does not pose a risk to human health, residents living near the mine, such as those in Cowdray Park, Emakhandeni, Richmond, Trinnance and Entumbane, have reported experiencing respiratory problems and other health issues due to the burning of waste.

The health implications of the burning of waste at Ngozi Mine are a clear violation of the right to health, as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe: Section 76 guarantees the right to health, which includes the right to an environment that is not harmful to health. Also, the environmental implications of the dumping and burning of waste at Ngozi Mine are violations of the Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27), which prohibits the pollution of the environment. The pollution of this environment is not only a danger to the people but to the various ecosystems around, at micro and macro levels.