Councillors from Bulawayo have raised fresh concerns over deteriorating public health standards and growing lawlessness in the city centre, saying illegal food vending and unregulated night operations are exposing residents to health risks.
The concerns emerged during the latest meeting of the Health, Housing and Education Committee, where councillors painted a grim picture of a city struggling with illegal trading, poor waste management and weak enforcement of by-laws.
Councillor Aleck Ndlovu said the city was witnessing an alarming increase in unregulated food vending, with cooked food being sold openly at street corners and from vehicle boots.
The report indicated that there is a lot of lawlessness in the city. The number of food vendors has increased. Cooked food is being sold at street corners and vehicle boots.
He warned that some of the food was being prepared in makeshift kitchens operating at overnight car parks, raising fears of food contamination and disease outbreaks.
“There are a lot of illegal activities especially at overnight car parks. Food is being processed from illegal kitchens,” he said.
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Ndlovu urged council officials to intensify enforcement operations and ensure that existing by-laws are effectively implemented to restore order in the city.
Councillor Octavius Dumisani Nkomo concurred, saying Bulawayo was rapidly descending into disorder as illegal dumping, littering and weak law enforcement continued unabated.
“The city is fast becoming a growth point. It city is very dirty and there is a lot of lawlessness. Enforcement is lacking,” Nkomo said.
He criticised the low number of arrests of offenders, saying council’s response was insignificant compared to the scale of illegal activities taking place across the city.
“Very few arrests had been done. The number is very insignificant compared to the illegal dumps in the city,” he said.
Nkomo also blamed the worsening litter problem in the central business district on a shortage of bins calling on authorities to explore waste-to-energy initiatives that can generate both electricity and revenue from plastic waste.
“Council should consider generating energy and revenue from solid waste especially plastic materials,” he said.
The committee’s recommendations were adopted by council.
The concerns come at a time when Bulawayo has been battling recurring sanitation and service delivery challenges, including illegal vending, refuse collection backlog and pressure on public health systems.
Bulawayo mayor David Coltart has repeatedly bemoaned the strain illegal trading and poor waste management are placing on the city’s infrastructure, while calling for strict enforcement of municipal by-laws and improved urban cleanliness.
The mayor has been pushing for partnerships aimed at improving waste management and restoring Bulawayo’s status as one of Zimbabwe’s cleanest cities.