By Mary Taruvinga, Senior Reporter

THREE Harare residents have dragged the Harare City Council (HCC) to court for failing to collect garbage, which has become an eyesore at their doorsteps.

The applicants are Juliet Chatambudza, Soul Alexanda Gurudza and Spiwe Guwa.

They are suing HCC together with local government minister, July Moyo.

Chatambudza of Chaminuka is from Mbare, Gurudza is from Highfield, while Guwa is from Tafara.

The trio filed an application through the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) seeking an order compelling the HCC to remove refuse in and around Harare residential areas and to collect and clear all dumpsites, which have mushroomed across the city.

Reliving the Sunshine City memories, Chatambudza said she has been a faithful rate payer since 1970 and expected a befitting service delivery from the Local authority.

“I used to receive a refuse bin from the city council, which they would collect twice a week.

“Over the years, the collection timetable would change, but refuse collection was still consistent.

“In recent years, refuse collection has become erratic but the HCC would now and again come to collect refuse.

“I cannot recall when I last received a city council allocated refuse bin and I now have to provide a refuse bin for my own household,” she said.

Chatambudza said for the past three years, the HCC has not collected refuse bins from Mbare, yet they still pay for the service.

“Due to the non-collection of refuse by HCC, residents in the area that I stay now dump refuse along the fence to Mbare Musika that is directly opposite to my house. The refuse piles up in huge refuse dumps that HCC has neglected to clear up.

She went on to attach images of refuse building up on her doorstep.

She said it is disturbing to note that even HCC cleaners have also resorted to dumping refuse on the same sites.

“By continuing to collect rate payments from me to collect refuse but at the same time neglecting to collect the rubbish, the respondent is being unjustly enriched.

“The refuse ends up rotting and it attracts a lot of flies and worms besides the smell that directly affects me at my home. If it rains and becomes warm, swarms of flies invade my home and several times we have suffered from dysentery caused by the health hazard from the refuse.

In separate affidavits, Gurudza and Guwa echoed Chatambudza’s sentiments.

The matter is yet to be heard.