Gweru acquires refuse trucks

The City of Gweru has acquired three refuse trucks at a cost of $500 000 in a bid to improve refuse collection, a council official has said.

Assistant town clerk Tapiwa Marerwa told delegates at a business forum recently that council was operating with trucks that are in a deplorable state.

“Council has acquired three refuse trucks at a cost of half-a-million dollars in a bid to address the challenges faced by the city in refuse collection,” he said. Marerwa said the city faced huge challenges in refuse collection resulting in council failing to adequately service residential areas.

“We have eight refuse trucks and of these, seven are old,” he said.
“This has witnessed the city failing to collect garbage at regular intervals, particularly in residential areas.”

In February this year, Gweru residents petitioned council over the non-collection of garbage.

“We, as Ward 10 residents, are writing to you to register our displeasure in the erratic way you are collecting refuse . . . We are demanding action now before people get sick,” part of the petition read.

At the time outgoing Gweru mayor Tedious Chimombe said financial challenges the council faced were contributing to its failure to procure spares for refuse trucks.