via Govt to clamp down on phone cards, used cans littering – NewsDay Zimbabwe September 16, 2014
GOVERNMENT says it will soon introduce an anti-littering statutory instrument targeted at mobile phone companies and manufacturers of beverage drinks.
Officially launching the Clean-Up Zimbabwe campaign in Harare yesterday, Environment, Water and Climate minister Saviour Kasukuwere said mobile phone recharge cards and used cans had become the highest contributor to environmental pollution, hence the move to penalise the manufacturers.
“We are creating a Statutory Instrument that looks into making all companies involved in production of scratch recharge cards and cans that are reaping profits but living the environment poorer,” Kasukuwere said.
“These activities make the environment carry a huge loss and it’s time we must share the responsibility of keeping our environment clean.”
Kasukuwere, however, did not divulge when the Statutory Instrument would be gazetted.
“The amount of waste around Harare is a major concern to us especially that we are approaching the rain season and if the situation continues like this our water bodies will be contaminated,” he said.
Lake Chivero, Harare’s main water source, has perennially suffered from death of aquatic life such as fish due to high levels of pollution.
Researches have shown that the water is mainly polluted by raw effluent flowing into the water body from burst sewer pipes and broken down treatment plants.
The city water bodies have also been polluted by untreated industrial effluent.
Earlier at the function, Kasukuwere had presented certificates to school children and media practitioners who excelled in a writing competition sponsored by Environment Management Authority (EMA).
COMMENTS
What a load of rubbish from this useless Politician. Harare has had this problem for years now. Leaking sewer pipes and many other problems. The following article was written in 2009. Where has Savour been.
Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, is facing water quantity and quality problems, with serious pollution of the downstream Lake Chivero. Often, these problems are attributed to rapid population growth, inadequate maintenance of wastewater treatment plants, expensive technologies and a poor institutional framework. Rampant urban agriculture could also result in washing off and leaching of nutrients. This paper brings out a number of issues related to sustainable water management in Harare. The study was based on key informant interviews, focus group discussions and a literature review. The results show that monitoring and enforcement of regulations in Harare is poor because of economic hardships and lack of political will to deal with offenders. Also, there is irregular collection of garbage, low fines owing to hyper-inflation and a general failure by the city to collect water and other charges from residents. The city has also failed to raise tariffs to economic levels owing to heavy lobbying by residents and interference by government. It was concluded that Harare cannot overcome its water-related problems under the current set-up. It is recommended that a corporatised body, free from political influence and with a higher degree of autonomy, be established to run the water services for Harare and the neighbouring towns. Such a body would need a sound and flexible system for setting tariffs and enacting/enforcing reasonable regulations.
Hello Saviour.
The packaging on recharge cards and on plastic drinks bottles have a logo of a man throwing the item into a bin. Hanzi… “Please dispose into rubbish bin.”
It’s not the manufacturers fault. Fine the litterbugs, dude!
Or maybe that’s too much like hard work?
But if you do go ahead in creating a ‘new revenue steam’ ….make sure you “penalise” all the South African manufacturers also. Most food products come from there now days.
Fine the political party whose election posters still disfigure the land.
What an idiotic law! Why don’t you penalize the manufacturers of condoms while you’re at it? And the manufacturers of bananas? And all forms if packaging.
Rather then adding more to manufacturers misery, why don’t you start charging a deposit fee on all cans and cards? The consumer gets his deposit back when he returns the used can or card to the place where he bought it.
On second thought, that would never work in Zimbabwe. Once government gets it’s hands on any funds, it cannot allow them to be returned to their rightful owners! It’s so much easier to pass a stupid law that threatens manufacturers with a stealth tax if they do not act against litter. Just one more reason why no one wants to start a new business while this government is in power.
Mr Kasukuwere is a ZANU through and through. It is part of the ZANU credo to never think before opening ones big fat mouth
Once again, yak yak yak. Nhema liked to have his photograph taken, walking around sweeping up litter, like some sort of bollywood actor in a bizare play. Remember that he was the responsible party up until this time last year. Kasukuwere is now just as mindboggling use-less…………. Will this never end?
Will the real problem-makers never be accountable for anything in this country of ours? This government is so good at intimidation when they want to be. Put your CIO to some real use for a change. Have them out and about, undercover. Let it be known that there will be an on-the-spot fine to anybody seen dropping any sort of litter. And for once in your life enforce it. Let it be known that big brother could be there watching. Watch how quickly the streets clean up once a few thousand litterbugs have been fined.
Kkkkkkk. DL wandipedza. Condom manufacturers and banana producers. While you are at it mazhanje and masau sellers. All those election posters and graffitti arent they polluting our environs.
What about zpf members fouling the oxygen we breathe with their foul mouths polluting ????????
I CONCUR!
The problem with fools being in positions of power is that they are driven by paranoia. They fear that if competent people where to takeover then they (the fools)will be left without anything to hold on to. What the fools dont understand is that if things were to be run with efficiency & brilliance then the whole society reaps the benefits & noone will be left out to starve. The fools do NOT understand that as many as we are, there is plenty on this God-given earth, enough to feed generations after us. So the fool will carry on with his foolishness & paranoia holding on to the little that his crumbling world has to offer. He will pretend as if all is well when it ll be evident even in his own foolish eyes that things are falling apart. Because of his deep paranoia & foolish pride, he will rather see it all fall apart than to let go, admit his foolishness & let the more capable individuals take over & fix the ailments. Only when he is laying there naked & exposed will he finally realize how far down the drain his foolishness will have taken him. But it will be too late and there ll be nothing to holdon to.
It was like that in the beginning of time & its been going on throughout the ages. Now we see it with our own eyes & experience what really happens when a bunch of proud paronoid fools somehow manage to be the ones in the positions of power. And true to its nature of repeating itself, history is directing the course of events in these fools lives to the the same demise that befell other like minded idiots in past. And true to his nature, the fool is blinded by his paranoia & arrogant ignorance so much that he does NOT see the danger that he is creating for himself. And has happened before he is going to continue riding the wave of his paranoia until he drowns in the depths of the illa of his own making.
The day is coming.
And this guy calls himself a minister?
How can you punish manufacturers for something they have no control over? Manufacturers should indicate on the packaging that their customers should dispose of the packaging appropriately and no more than that.
If somebody buys a drink and decides to litter after drinking the contents you can’t hold the drink manufacturer accountable for that, its common sense. People have to take responsibilities for their own actions. Funny this comes from a government that doesn’t take responsibility over anything.
Who is paying for this. The chinks so they can take over.
Reverse thinking Minister! Who’s supposed to be punished? It’s like blaming God for the the thieves that roam our parliament! !
A typical case of fiddling while the country burns. The poor calibre of minister is staggering when this is what he comes up with when the unemployment levels go up daily. How about initiating programmes when youth can be employed to recover the tins etc. which can then be recycled and earn themselves a living as happens elsewhere in the world?
And this is the younger crop of ZANU PF leaders? They have not fallen far from the tree. He’s trying to see how he can weasel money out of any industrial companies that are still making money (cellular networks and beverages), in the name of the environment.
I am sure manufacturers can challenge any such daft law in court. Its like proposing an instrument that allows the fining of Kasukuwere’s parents for his stupidity.
kkkkkkkkkkkkkk
We all either consume the products or need the services which are being provided by these companies. I agree with DL. He has advanced a very brilliant idea. People should pay a deposit and get a refund. I suggest that the companies involved must also take the initiative and find ways on how to keep the environment clean.
There are no bins .If you see them they miles apart. The Council’s refuse disposal trucks are non -functional. In places where vendors operate you would think there would be more bins and regular clean up and refuse disposal by Council but no. In the High density areas people resort to burning rubbish to get rid of litter adding to pollution. Kasukuwere is not thinking but then again thats one “QUALITY” Mugabe looks for when he chooses Ministers. Reminds me of one Mayor who asked people not to use diapers in order to prevent clogging water reticulation system. Nonsense.
One can claim up to $200 for a business expenditure from Zimra on cell phone scratchcards.Driving mostly Delta Beverages out of business importation of canned cooldrinks mostly at a $1 ea is not such a bad idea in that more employment will be created by Zimglass(glass bottles+PETS) and Delta Corporation by bottling our own PET alternatives as opposed to cans imports thereby saving on foreign currency.All these companies r mostly govt controlled so that it will be like robbing Peter Delta to pay Zimglass Paul with Kasakure collecting fines to finance EMA;this is how govt entrepeneurship works when poor old Kasakure and EMA are underbudgeted by Chinamasa.
It is all about education and common sense ,non of which this minister has!