EMA Set To Take Over City Of Harare’s Waste Management
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has disbursed funds to the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to buy refuse collection trucks and temporarily take over the management of solid waste in Harare, it has emerged.
A Statutory Instrument (SI) is being crafted to enable EMA to subcontract private players, who will assist in providing the service to residents during the period.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works’ communication and advocacy director Gabriel Masvora said:
Government has been forced to take drastic measures in Harare due to the deterioration of services and plans have been put in place to ensure EMA collects refuse or contracts private companies.
When the idea was mooted, it was decided that EMA would take over the collection of refuse and if it does not have the capacity, it contracts private players, with the bill sent to Harare City Council.
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EMA director of environmental management services Steady Kangata said:
We have received funding from Treasury for us to buy refuse compactors. These are two refuse trucks and a tipper.
We have decided to procure only these because we are not permanently taking over and we will be providing the service for a short-term period.
We are coming to relieve pressure in areas such as the Chinhoyi Street bus terminus (Copacabana), Mbare Musika, Market Square bus terminus, Montagu and residential areas.
EMA will start to provide the service once we get the trucks. We have done all the processes and are now waiting for payment and delivery of the refuse compactors.
The private contractors will be hired once we have the SI, because, without the powers to garnish local authorities, we will not be able to pay the private contractors.
As EMA, we have noted certain weaknesses in local authorities and through the guidance of the Minister of Environment (Climate, Tourism and Hospitality), we are casting a standalone solid waste management statutory instrument.
The SI is going to be tight and will ensure that local authorities ring-fence the revenue they get from residents, and must be used for waste management.
City of Harare acting town clerk Phakamile Moyo said he had not been informed about the issue. He said:
I have not been informed yet. We have an old fleet of 45 trucks. However, 20 to 22 trucks (servicing 46 wards) are on the road, with the rest having mechanical problems.
We are in the process of procuring more trucks. We received five trucks last year and we are expecting 10 later from that same order.
In total, we expect to receive 20 trucks this year.
