The Sunday News
Tinomuda Chakanyuka Sunday News Reporter
THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) are engaged in a tiff over the pollution of Deka River in Hwange which the former is refusing responsibility.Raw sewage has been flowing unabated into Deka River since 2008 and EMA in 2013 issued a $5 000-ticket to Zinwa Gwayi Catchment for contravening Section 57 of the EMA Act Chapter 20:27, section 5 (1) as read with section 5 (1) of Statutory Instrument 6 of 2007.
However, Zinwa has been refusing to pay the ticket arguing that it was wrongfully charged as the sewer reticulation system belonged to Hwange Local Board.
The board has also refused responsibility for the pollution stating that sewer reticulation system belonged to Zinwa, which took over water and sewer reticulation from the local authority in 2005.
Zinwa has since written to EMA registering reservations in accepting liability for the pollution of Deka River.
Ironically Zinwa and EMA fall under the same parent ministry, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate.
In the letter, a copy which is in Sunday News’ possession, Zinwa operations engineer Joel Mbatha accused Hwange Local Board of refusing to accept back the sewer treatment plant despite several attempts by Zinwa to hand it over.
“The sewer treatment plants belong to the Hwange Local Board and Zinwa has made several attempts to hand over the plants to them but they are refusing to accept them.
“It is with this in mind that Zinwa Gwayi Catchment has reservations towards paying the $5 000 imposed upon us, as we feel that Hwange Local Board should shoulder the burden of any such fines since the sewer system belongs to them,” reads the letter in part.
Eng Mbatha however, said Zinwa was willing to engage in dialogue with EMA and Hwange Local Board to resolve the impasse.
Hwange Local Board chief executive officer Mr Ndumiso Mdlalose could not be reached for comment.
However, according to minutes of a meeting between officials from Hwange Local Board and Zinwa held recently, it was resolved that there must be a handover of the sewer infrastructure but an agreement was not reached because of a few sticking issues.
Hwange Local Board argues that when it handed over the sewer infrastructure to Zinwa, it was functioning properly and processing effluent.
Town treasurer Mr Innocent Tshuma is quoted saying that it was ironic that Zinwa was now handing over the infrastructure in a dilapidated state, which would add serious liability for the local board.
An engineer Marova who represented Zinwa, according to the minutes, responded to the concern saying he did know how the matter would be handled since the Government directive which empowered Zinwa to take the water and sewer systems was not clear on how issues of infrastructure should be handled.
The other sticking issue was that of employees working at the sewer treatment plant under Zinwa but would also be handed over to Hwange together with the sewer treatment plant.
Hwange Local Board argued that some of the employees at the plant were nearing retirement age and if they were to be handed over to the local authority they would be a liability when they retire.
EMA spokesperson Mr Steady Kangata could not comment saying the matter was now before the courts.
