Martin Muleya
Recyclers operating at City of Mutare’s dumpsite have expressed outrage and frustration over the council employees who are competing with them for scrap metal.
The recyclers allege that City of Mutare workers were intercepting refuse trucks at the entrance of the dumpsite and confiscating valuable materials, leaving them with little or nothing to collect for their livelihoods.
A recycler, Decide Mugocha (25) highlighted that he has been in this business for three years and taking home an average of $25 per day.
“We are talking of about 18 vehicles that come to the dumpsite every day, but we are getting a raw deal. Council employees manning the gate are taking all the scrap metal and groceries, leaving us with nothing. It’s like they are stealing from us. There are 16 trucks that frequent this dumpsite visiting twice a day. But of late we are no longer seeing them offloading their stuff at the dumpsite meaning they are detoured at the gate by the security officers. Today we have only seen 12 refuse trucks and all the stuff collected by the refuse trucks must be offloaded at the dumpsite so that we all benefit,” he said.
The recyclers claim that the situation has been on-going for months, with council employees becoming increasingly aggressive and hostile towards them. They allege that they are sometimes unilaterally arrested by police while at the dumpsite, only to be released without any charges being preferred against them.
Lawrence Chakanyuka who has been working at the dumpsite for 17 years weighed in saying police details often visit the dumpsite and unilaterally arrest everyone there.
“I was at one point detained at the police station for more than a day without a charge being preferred against me and later released.
“It is harassment, plain and simple. We are just trying to make an honest living but council employees and police are making it impossible for us. They are taking our livelihoods away from us,” said an irate Chakanyuka.
Addressing the recyclers on Global Recycling day, Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Manicaland provincial publicist Alice Rutsvara said the day is global initiative annually on the 18th of March focusing on raising awareness about recycling and promoting sustainable practices, with the aim of turning waste into resources and protecting the planet.
“The day was established in 2018 by the Global Recycling Foundation to highlight recycling’s critical role in preserving natural resources and securing a sustainable future for the planet. This initiative aims to celebrate the achievements in recycling and to push for innovative and effective recycling practices globally,” Rutsvara explained.
City of Mutare Acting Environmental Health manager Christopher Nkomo said council was in the process of addressing challenges faced by the recyclers and urged them to register for them to formally gain entry at the dumpsite.
“We are making preparation to have ablution blocks at the dumpsite. We are also urging you to form an association and register with council,” Nkomo noted.
