Government has announced plans to relocate illegal settlers at Richmond dumpsite, popularly known as Ngozi Mine, in Bulawayo, as authorities move to transform the site into a modern waste management centre.
More than 450 households are reportedly living on the outskirts of the dumpsite, with some residents having occupied the area for more than four decades.
The planned redevelopment has generated mixed reactions, with some residents concerned about relocation while others are hopeful of employment opportunities under the new waste management project.
One resident said she had lived at the site for 44 years and was worried about where she would go after the relocation.
“I have nowhere to go. I have lived here for 44 years, and my children were born here. My parents came from Malawi to work here, and this has been my place since then,” she said.
Another resident welcomed the prospect of employment, saying many families depended on waste collection for their livelihoods.
“The only job that me and my family know is to survive on packing waste here. Now I hope if the company comes, they will offer us employment,” the resident said.
Government, however, says affected families will be relocated to decent accommodation.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said authorities had dealt with a similar situation during the establishment of the Geo Pomona waste management facility in Harare.
“We understand there was a settlement that was created for some of the settlers here and they left children there, so these will have to go back. For those with nowhere to go, we will find some space to relocate them,” he said.
Minister Garwe said Government policy required that citizens have access to shelter and assured that those without alternative accommodation would be assisted.
Meanwhile, Geo Pomona Waste Management Company said it would prioritise people already working at Ngozi Mine when recruitment begins.
The company’s Special Advisor to the President on Waste Management and Environmental Sustainability, Dr Delish Nguwaya, said a database of people currently working at the site was already being compiled.
“As a company, we have a policy of recruiting the people who have been doing the jobs on site. We are already gathering their database, and they will be given priority once we are on the ground,” Dr Nguwaya said.
The Bulawayo City Council is currently engaging Geo Pomona over a proposed joint venture that would see the company managing waste in the city.
Authorities are presenting the adoption of the Geo Pomona model as part of efforts to address Bulawayo’s longstanding waste management challenges.
