Honda Fit menace worry

Gibson Mhaka

BCC raises concern over mushrooming of Honda Fits in the CBD

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has raised concern over the mushrooming of pirate taxis, mostly Honda Fit, which are causing chaos in the central business district (CBD) as they pick and drop off passengers at undesignated points.

According to the latest council minutes the relevant by-laws should be enforced to remove the pirate taxis from the city’s roads.

“(Ward 4) Councillor S. (Silas) Chigora applauded Council for the recently ended clean-up campaign and the enforcement of vending by-laws. He also applauded other stakeholders who had assisted the council in this operation.

“He felt that enforcement should continue and also be extended to illegal pirate taxis, mostly Honda Fits. Illegal pirate taxis had invaded areas adjacent to the City Hall. There was a lot of fouling in those areas. The relevant by-laws should be enforced. A clean City attracted investors,” the minutes read in part.

Ward 13 Councillor Frank Javangwe concurred with Cllr Chigora calling on the local authority to increase fines for littering and illegal dumping.

Ward 28 Councillor Kidwell  Mujuru  also raised concern about air pollution at Richmond Landfill site (Ngozi Mine) saying there were smoke fumes that came out of the landfill site resulting from illegal recyclers who set fire to salvage metal objects.

He said the smoke that had stopped for two months, was now back putting residents particularly those from Cowdray Park suburb at risk of contracting air borne diseases.

In response the Deputy Mayor Councillor Mlandu Ncube assured council that enforcement of laws against illegal vending would continue around the city.

 “The enforcement would also be done on illegal pirate taxis. Councillors should also attend Committee meetings and raise issues and their suggested solutions to some of the problems affecting the city,’ said Cllr Mlandu.

The Mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni, also advised that the committee should come up with mitigatory measures to stop the air pollution in Ward 28 saying that as a member of the committee and ward councilor, Cllr Mujuru should also offer the solutions.

“Joint operations would continue to enforce by-laws. Councils through UCAZ (Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe) had applied for arresting powers and establishment of Municipal Courts. The parent Ministry had promised to look into the issues,” said Cllr Mguni.

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