Bulawayo is facing a growing public health scare as stray dogs, worsening filth and the mushrooming of illegal kitchens and braai spots trigger fears of a possible disease outbreak, a city council report has revealed.
Councillors this week painted a grim picture of deteriorating sanitary conditions across the city, warning that poor waste management, weak law enforcement and unsafe food handling practices were creating a dangerous health time bomb.
During a meeting of the health, housing and education committee, councillors raised alarm over increasing lawlessness in residential suburbs and commercial centres, where unregulated food outlets and waste dumping have become commonplace.
Councillor Lazarus Mphadwe warned that the rapid spread of illegal kitchens and braai spots was now a major health hazard.
“Illegal kitchens and braai spots are mushrooming in all residential areas. This is a health hazard and a time bomb which could lead to a disease outbreak,” he said.
Mphadwe called on the city to tighten enforcement of food control and health by-laws before the situation spirals out of control.
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Committee chairperson Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo said the problem had become particularly severe in high-density suburbs and busy commercial centres.
“There is a lot of lawlessness in commercial centres. Illegal kitchens and braai spots have increased. No food hygiene standards are being observed. This is a serious health concern,” Khumalo said.
The concerns come as the city’s cleansing department continues to struggle with excessive littering and illegal dumping, especially in the central business district.
According to the director of health services’ report, daily street sweeping in the city centre is being undermined by excessive littering in hotspots linked to illegal activities, particularly along J. M. Nkomo Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenue, as well as Fifth Avenue, Fort Street and Tenth Avenue.
Despite growing waste disposal violations, enforcement remains weak.
The report revealed that only four tickets for illegal dumping were issued during the month due to transport shortages affecting monitoring teams.
The city’s refuse collection system is also under severe pressure.
Out of Bulawayo’s 20 refuse compactors, 14 have exceeded their economic lifespan and are increasingly breaking down, forcing the city to rely heavily on hired equipment.
The report noted that only three to five council-owned refuse compactors were operational daily, with seven additional compactors hired from the ministry of Local Government and Public Works to support operations.
The sanitation crisis has also worsened the stray dog menace.
Councillor Adrian Rendani Moyo raised concern over rising stray dog numbers in Northend and Sauerstown, saying many dogs roam from residential properties in search of food.
Councillor Irene Moyo said the situation was equally worrying in Nkulumane Bullet Shopping Centre, where food waste from illegal braai spots was attracting packs of stray dogs.
“There are a lot of stray dogs in search of food,” she said.
“The area in Nkulumane has many illegal kitchens and braai spots. Leftovers are thrown everywhere, attracting stray dogs.”
City health officials say the dog menace is becoming harder to control because of poor compliance by residents.
Only four dogs were licensed during the month, reflecting widespread failure by dog owners to vaccinate and register their animals as required by law.
The director of health services said council was preparing a tie-up order targeting stray dogs once the city completed its rabies vaccination programme.
He added that the dog control policy was under review, including stiffer penalties for offenders.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo disposed of over 3,9 million kilogrammes of residential waste during the reporting period, underscoring the scale of the city’s sanitation burden.
Council is developing a solid waste management master plan with support from Mercy Corps, but councillors warned that planning alone will not solve the immediate crisis.