Story by Providence Maraneli
MATABELELAND South province has up-scaled its waste management efforts, with mining companies operating in the province coming on board to provide sorting sites.
Highway littering has long plagued the province, not only polluting the environment but also endangering livestock and undermining local authorities’ waste management efforts.
In response, mining firms and environmental stakeholders have united in support of initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable waste management.
In Gwanda, a group of women has established a waste sorting centre at Phakama, playing a central role in the campaign for a cleaner town.
“We are on a mission to make this town clean, we have a sorting centre at Phakama and we want everyone to come on board, already many women now rely on waste picking as a source of income,” Phakama waste pickers leader, Mrs Angelina Ndlovu said.
Mining firms and others in the province have also joined the cause by providing waste sorting sites.
“As PPC we are going to adopt the Collebawn-Gwanda stretch where we are going to put rubbish bins along the highway,” Safety, Health and Environment Officer – PPC, Mrs Queen Sibanda said.
“As Blanket Mine, we are going to have litter bins along the Blanket Highway and donate other bins to the municipality of Gwanda,” the Environment Manager for Caledonia Mine, Mr Patrick Hill said.
“We are establishing sorting plants in Esigodini where we are going to empower women who would pick litter on the stretch between How Mine and Esigodini,” the Acting Safety Health and Environment Officer for How Mine, Mr Luckson Shumba said.
“We are going to have bin liners distributed in all the offices in Gwanda,” Simbisa Brands Manager for Gwanda, Best Dube said.
“Highway littering has been a major detriment to our efforts of sustainable waste management,” Matabeleland South Provincial Manager – Environment Management Agency, Mr Decent Ndlovu weighed in.
Officially rolling out the Zero Waste Management Campaign in Gwanda this Tuesday, the Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Albert Nguluvhe called on local authorities to be pro-active in waste management.
“Let us continue on the path of sustainable waste management, today we put into action what pledged to do. We need to support this initiative so that we have a clean environment,” he said.
Launched in September 2024, the programme aims to manage waste through community-based education on waste disposal, reuse and recycling.
