MASVINGO — Massive green flies are hissing and roaming around the pavement of an enclosed building near the commuter omnibus rank.
BY HAZVINEI MWANAKA
Nearby, vendors are selling different wares.
Such is the state of public toilets in Masvingo, which have seen residents raising concern over the state of the city’s public ablution facilities, especially at civic centre as it accommodates a lot of people.
Masvingo city council only has three public toilets in the central business district (CBD) — one at the Civic Centre and the other two at the downtown bus terminus in Bradburn Street.
Rujeko A Business Centre and Mucheke bus terminus also have council toilets.
Matilda Kamanda, the senior co-ordinator at Leopold Takawira flea market near the Civic Centre said council rarely cleaned the toilets, which are now in a mess.
“The toilets are always dirty. The one at the Civic Centre is always busy because its central and it accommodates a lot of people. Usually when they clean the toilets, they do not use any detergents and this poses a health disaster to us the users,” she said.
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“It seems as if the health department does not make a follow up to its workers, besides the toilet’s flushing system is not functional.”
Kamanda said they have challenges with flies roaming around their merchandise at the flea market, something that often drives away potential customers.
According to Kamanda, the Civic Centre toilets accommodate close to a thousand people per day. She said the local authority should at least employ a permanent person, who is always available to make sure that the toilets are clean.
Jonas Marewe, a rank marshal near Civic Centre, said there is need for council to construct more toilets to accommodate the growing population.
“The population seems to have overwhelmed the few toilets so there is need for council to construct more toilets,” he said.
Another Masvingo resident said a lot of people were now opting to use private transport to avoid coming to the terminus because of the heavy stench that emanates from the public toilets.
“The toilets are always a disaster that is why we are no longer using the terminus. The council is betraying us yet we pay them their dues,” he said.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Association (MURRA) spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said the council toilets were no longer enough due to the massive growth of the city which has spurred a boom in population.
“The toilets are no longer enough and are being overwhelmed by the large number of people doing business on a daily basis in the city centre,” Mtimba said.
“The toilets are always filthy and have become a health hazard to the people who use them. As residents we urge the city council to construct new public toilets at various city centre points so as to improve ablution and sanity facilities for residents.”
Asked whether it was fair to introduce a pay system to encourage the council to clean the toilets, he said that will not be appropriate as more people will be disadvantaged.
“Residents are struggling to make ends meet as the economy continues to shrink so they will not be in a position to pay for toilets to relive themselves,” he said.
Masvingo Residents Trust (MRT) co-ordinator Prosper Tiringindi also said council toilets are in desperate need of refurbishment.
“Council toilets are few and are not sufficient to cater for its residents, more so, they are not working hence they need refurbishment,” he said.
“Of the three toilets in the CBD, only two are working, but they are not in good working condition.”
He said in Masvingo City there is no single public toilet designed especially for people living with disabilities yet the city has over 300 disabled residents.
“Masvingo Council should respect the rights of minority groups. Recently built toilets at Chitima Market also do not cater for the disabled,” Tiringindi said.
Masvingo mayor, Hubert Fidze, said there were permanent people who were tasked to clean the toilets.
“Usually there is supposed to be a permanent person to clean the toilets, we believe in engaging so each time residents found out anything amiss they should report to us and we will attend to the situation,” he said.
Fidze added: “If funds are available we don’t mind residents coming up with a plan for us to build some more toilets in the CBD to cater for the increasing population, but we urge the public not to vandalise the toilets.”
