Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa in MASERU, Lesotho
LESOTHO, which exports hazardous waste 500 kilometres to South Africa and does not currently have a landfill, has engaged Zimbabwe for assistance with appropriate waste management.
The partnership involves the reputable Geo Pomona Waste Management firm from Zimbabwe.
There are major health risks because residents of Maseru, the capital, live close to an old dumpsite that has been in operation since the 1980s.
Zimbabwean Government officials, Geo Pomona Waste Management representatives, Maseru City Council members, and local residents toured the toxic Tsosane dumpsite and a potential new landfill site at Tsoeneng to understand the critical situation.
The visit followed a successful tour by SADC Heads of State to the Geo Pomona site in Zimbabwe during the SADC summit when President Mnangagwa assumed the chairmanship of the regional bloc.
Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Engineer Amos Marawa, said the Lesotho government invited them to explore collaborative solutions for waste management.
“We have been invited to see the challenges they are facing, very similar to what we faced in Zimbabwe, but here it seems more urgent,” he said.
Engineer Marawa pointed out that housing is adjacent to the dumpsite, which has exceeded its capacity.
He expressed appreciation that the Lesotho government has identified waste management as a priority.
Eng Marawa said since the Maseru City Council has already identified a new landfill site, Zimbabwe, through Geo Pomona, is eager to ensure that the waste management system is properly designed from the beginning.
“More importantly, we need to rehabilitate and encapsulate the current site for the safety of the affected community. We believe the tour is going well, and we have been well received,” Eng Marawa added.
“With the same urgency, there can be solutions and funding for a sustainable waste management system.”
Dr Dilesh Nguwaya, executive chairman and CEO of Geo Pomona Waste Management, compared the situation in Maseru to the former Pomona dumpsite in Harare.
“Residents near this dumpsite face similar problems as before in Pomona. When we took over from the City of Harare, we had to create effective solutions to transform the dumpsite into a waste management facility,” he said.
Maseru City Council town clerk Mr Moea Makhakhe noted that their current dumpsite was initially a quarry that expanded as individuals began dumping waste there.
“We have been stuck with it. It’s full of debris and poses significant dangers to the community,” he said.
Maseru City Council director of Health and Environment, Mr Motseki Khuti, highlighted the financial losses incurred from exporting hazardous waste.
“We had to acquire land here because we used to export this hazardous waste to South Africa,” he said.
Mr Khuti explained the need for a temporary containment centre but cited a lack of funds to build one.
“We are already contaminating groundwater, and we face challenges with community health. Without adequate funds, we cannot even test the water as we used to,” he added.
Additionally, Mr Khuti noted that Maseru City lacks anti-litter by-laws, which they hope to learn from Zimbabwe.
Ward 3 councillor Mr Teboho Mohoko emphasised the need for government intervention.
“Our lives are miserable here. Imagine enduring the smell daily and the eyesore of the dump. An urgent solution is needed.”
Ward 10 councillor Mr Paul Phalatsi echoed same concerns, warning that the situation is a ticking time bomb.
“If we can improve the dumpsite, it could benefit the community. The health risks are significant, especially for athletes living nearby,” he said.
