SEVERAL early childhood development (ECD) centres in Bulawayo have been exposed for operating illegally without approved building plans, development permits, and medically examined food handlers, as the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) intensified a city-wide health blitz.
The findings are in the latest report by the Health, Housing and Education Committee tabled before full council, revealing widespread non-compliance among pre-schools, restaurants, butcheries, lodges, and informal food operators across the city.
According to the report, council health inspectors carried out 2 091 inspections in April, covering routine compliance monitoring, shop licence inspections, non-trading premises inspections, health reports, and domiciliary visits.
The inspections resulted in 94 formal warning notices issued to businesses and organisations operating outside health and licensing regulations.
The report paints a concerning picture of children learning in unapproved premises, while consumers are exposed to unhygienic food handling practices in parts of the city.
“Step Ahead ECD at 8990 Nkulumane was operating without a development permit and approved building plans,” the committee report read.
The same institution was also cited at another premises in Nkulumane for similar violations.
Inspectors also flagged El-Shaddai Day Care and Pre-School in Nkulumane for operating without approved plans, while food handlers had not undergone mandatory medical examinations.
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“Overcrowding was observed in classrooms,” the report states.
Several other pre-schools were cited for various breaches, including operating without permits, lacking approved plans, and failure to ensure food handlers were medically cleared.
Other pre-schools cited include Future Builders Pre-School, St Limon Pre-School, Daveland Infant School, Future Champions Pre-School, Trinity Pre-School, Little Shining Stars Pre-School, Little Angels Day Care, Alpha Day Care, and Rise and Shine Day Care.
In Paddonhurst, Shiloh Heart Infant School was found operating with an expired permit and without approved building plans.
“Inspectors observed that toilets had been converted into a storeroom and poor housekeeping was noted,” the report said.
The blitz also exposed illegal food operations across the city, with inspectors warning that cooked food is being sold from street corners, vehicle trunks and unregistered premises.
“The inspectorate department noted that cooked food was being sold at undesignated areas while some operators were running illegal kitchens overnight at car parks,” the report said.
Several businesses, including Towerview on Jason Moyo Street, Fairmind Stationery, and Maxmin on 12th Avenue, were cited for operating without shop licences and registration certificates.
Health inspectors also uncovered poor hygiene conditions at some food outlets and butcheries.
Sai Mart on Jason Moyo Street was cited for multiple violations, including a non-functional hand-washing basin in the butchery section, lack of hot water, rusted meat hooks, and pest infestations involving rats and cockroaches.
Inspectors further noted that the cooking oil used for chips had been in use for more than a month.
Southwold Butchery was found operating without a registration certificate and without food handler certificates for employees. Woza Woza Restaurant Special was also operating without a registration certificate, while displaying a liquor licence without proof of payment to the council.
Council also condemned large quantities of food deemed unfit for human consumption.
At Texas Steak in Belmont, inspectors condemned hundreds of kilogrammes of expired products, including steak seasoning, Russian dye and mayonnaise.
Sai Mart also had flour and canned goods condemned due to contamination and damaged packaging, while 145 kilogrammes of beef at Robert Mugabe Way were confiscated after being found uninspected and improperly transported.
The report further highlights growing environmental health concerns in residential suburbs.
In Emganwini, inspectors responding to complaints of sewer-contaminated drinking water discovered overflowing gully traps at several homes, accompanied by strong foul odours.
“One water sample was heavily turbid and foul-smelling and was discarded without analysis,” the report noted.
Council also responded to complaints involving illegal poultry rearing in Barham Green, dust pollution from roadworks, and inconsistent refuse collection affecting businesses across the city.
The findings come amid rising concerns over public health risks linked to unregulated businesses and informal food operations, as economic pressures push more operators into residential and undesignated trading spaces.
