Bulawayo City Council has collected in excess of US$2 000 from environment violators with indications that more than US$6 000 in fines are outstanding due to shortage of service vehicles to be used in collecting the fines.
The developments are revealed in the latest council minutes in which housing and community services director Dictor Khumalo reported on the environmental violations and measures being taken to avert the problems.
On environmental issues and degradation in Greater Bulawayo and water catchment areas, the council noted that joint and routine patrols were conducted, and illegal miners were arrested and handed over to police at Esigodini Police Station.
“During the patrols, 165 hand tools were confiscated and one detector machine recovered,” the minutes read.
“A consignment of hand tools was ferried from Ncema storage to lands subsection and will be handed over to stores for disposal.”
In Greater Bulawayo, the council said patrols were conducted to arrest sand poachers and illegal miners.
“The patrols were conducted on foot as the only truck was on and off the road. In all the patrols a total of 50 tickets were issued to various offenders while 29 tickets amounting to US$2 108 had been paid and 21 were outstanding with a total of US$610,51,” council said.
The council said 26 trucks laden with pit sand worth US$260 had been recorded.
“Illegal miners at Emhlangeni were evicted and surveillance patrols were being conducted in the area,” council said.
The local authority also noted that open air worshippers were on the increase both in the eastern and western suburbs.
It indicated that questionnaires would be distributed soon on the action to be taken, and the results will be availed to council with appropriate recommendations next month.
“The worst challenge facing the section was transport as lands (department) has just one van in Greater Bulawayo and one van at Ncema. On the parks side, there is one van in the western and one in the eastern,” the minutes read.
Source Southern eye
