Suburban
Residents of Mount Pleasant embarked on a clean-up exercise on Bargate Road which goes across the river between Garlands Rise and Mt Pleasant Sports Club in a bid to restore the Mount Pleasant vlei.
Ivan Zhakata Suburban Reporter
‘Armed’ with slashers, shovels and bin bags, Mrs Debbie Swales and a small team of three people embarked on a two-day campaign of cleaning up the vlei, including slashing the long grass on both sides of the road for better visibility for motorists.
They also cleared the soil and grass that had grown over the pedestrian/cyclists pathway as well as rubble that had been illegally dumped on the vlei. The men collected about 80 bags of litter from the edge of Bargate Road and removed litter which was dumped in the river, including a dead dog.
Mrs Swales said they were horrified by the attitude of people who indiscriminately use open spaces as dumping grounds for their rubbish. She said City of Harare was partly to blame for not having enough refuse compactors for regular collection of household waste even though it was up to every individual to have respect for their environment, health and well-being.
“If they can afford to put fuel in their vehicle(s) to drive out to the wetlands to dump their expensive pamper nappies and beer bottles, then they can surely afford to take their rubbish to the official dump site just two kilometres away from Pomona,” she said.
“The abuse of our residential area and wetlands is so shocking that I have taken it upon myself to try and make this area a better place for all, with my first task being the clean-up of Bargate Road. The long thatching grass falling into the road along the section of Bargate, was a hazard to motorists and pedestrians alike.
“It almost required a digger to do this but I have been advised that this will damage the wetland so the only answer is to do this by hand in due course and I am hoping I will be assisted by City of Harare Waste Management Department who have experience in this field.”
Mrs Swales said the small river which they took out rubbish from originates from the Borrowdale Vlei and is part of the catchment for the Gwebi River.
“Sadly, because of the pollution, the birdlife has all but gone and now that the rats have taken over the threat of diseases is imminent.
“What does concern me is that there is possibly a sewage leak upstream from Bargate Road as the stench from the river by Chatsworth Road is overwhelming at certain times of the year.”
