Staff Writer
Women Empowering Sustainable Environments (WESE) has petitioned the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), Masvingo City Council and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) over what it describes as deteriorating environmental and sanitation conditions at and around the Raylton Club Bus Depot in Masvingo, including the surrounding railway area.
The petition, submitted by six WESE Women Environmental Defenders, raises concern over the continued accumulation and poor management of waste at the busy public transport facility and its surroundings.
According to WESE, discarded plastic bags, plastic containers, bottles and other refuse have accumulated around the depot and railway area, creating environmental and potential public-health concerns.
“Every member of the public has a right to a clean, safe and healthy environment,” WESE said, arguing that Raylton Club Bus Depot, as a facility used by members of the public on a daily basis, should be maintained to acceptable environmental, health and sanitation standards.
The organisation said unmanaged waste could block drainage systems, attract vermin and create unhygienic conditions, while contributing to wider environmental pollution.
WESE is calling for an immediate environmental and sanitation assessment of the depot and surrounding areas, as well as the provision of adequate, durable and covered waste bins at strategic locations.
The organisation is also demanding the removal of accumulated refuse and its transportation to an authorised disposal facility, alongside the introduction of a regular waste-collection, cleaning and monitoring programme.
It further wants areas presenting immediate sanitation concerns to be cleaned and disinfected, while public-awareness initiatives are introduced to discourage littering and indiscriminate dumping.
WESE has given ZIMRA 14 days to take substantial corrective action and provide a written response detailing the measures taken, the responsible officials or departments and timelines for completing any outstanding interventions.
“This petition is not simply a complaint. It is a call for accountability, practical action, environmental justice and protection of public health,” WESE said.
The organisation said environmental protection was a shared responsibility involving ZIMRA, Masvingo City Council, EMA, transport operators and members of the public.
WESE warned that should satisfactory action not be taken within the 14-day period, it would consider escalating the matter to relevant environmental, public-health, local-government and administrative authorities through lawful public-interest mechanisms.
“We remain committed to advocating for environmental justice, responsible waste management, public health and safe and sustainable communities,” WESE said.
The organisation has called for urgent intervention to address what it describes as continued pollution from discarded plastics, bottles and other refuse around Raylton Club Bus Depot and the surrounding railway area.