BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA SOME Harare residents have dragged Local Government minister July Moyo to court to compel him and the Harare City Council (HCC) to collect garbage in the city.
In an application filed at the High Court last Friday, the residents, who reside in Mbare, Highfield and Mabvuku stated that outbreaks of dysentery had erupted in their communities due to non-collection of refuse.
They claimed that they religiously paid their rates, but HCC had failed to collect garbage.
Through their lawyer, Paidamoyo Saurombe of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the residents, Juliet Chatambudza, Soul Gurudza and Spiwe Guwa, cited HCC and Moyo as the first and second respondents, respectively.
In their application, the residents requested the court to order Moyo and HCC to collect refuse and clear all illegal dumpsites that have accumulated across the capital, and also to publish collection timetables in newspapers and on social media platforms.
The residents stated that refuse collection had become erratic in the city and they were providing refuse bins for themselves, yet it was HCC’s obligation.
The trio said due to non-collection of refuse, residents resorted to dumping garbage everywhere posing health hazards.
“I have tried approaching the first respondent’s workers, but this has been in vain,” Guwa said in her founding affidavit.
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“I have approached the district officer in my ward and the residents group seeking recourse, but all of this has been in vain. By continuing to collect the payments from me to collect refuse, but at the same time neglecting to collect the rubbish, the first respondent is unjustly enriched,” she added.
The matter is yet to be heard.
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