By Sukoluhle Ndlovu
Civil society organisations and residents’ groups in Bulawayo have raised concerns over the proposed engagement of Geo Pomona Waste Management to help manage operations at Richmond Landfill, commonly known as Ngozi Mine, calling for proper procurement procedures to be followed.
The groups said they supported urgent intervention to address the environmental and public health crisis at the landfill but warned against entering into a long-term agreement without ensuring compliance with the law.
The concerns follow a directive issued after the Minister of Local Government and Public Works visited Bulawayo on September 10, requiring the city to finalise a Memorandum of Agreement with Geo Pomona within a week.
“We welcome urgent action to address the crisis at Ngozi Mine. However, urgency and due process are not mutually exclusive,” the 17 organisations said in a joint statement.
They questioned the legal basis for directing the council to conclude an agreement with a specific service provider, citing provisions of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act and the Urban Councils Act.
The groups also called on authorities to explain the status of earlier council processes, including Expressions of Interest, and demanded greater transparency on the proposed agreement.
They want details of the contract’s financial implications, duration, tariffs and service-delivery obligations to be made public before any long-term arrangement is concluded.
The organisations stressed that their concerns should not be interpreted as opposition to Geo Pomona, saying a transparent procurement process should determine whether the company is the most suitable service provider for Bulawayo.
Concerns were earlier raised by the mayor David Coltart and some councillors over the procurement process.
Coltart, however, later said council had authorised its management to engage Geo Pomona over a possible long-term solution to the city’s worsening waste-management crisis.
The groups said Bulawayo could address the immediate crisis at Ngozi Mine while simultaneously upholding transparency, accountability and good governance.
“We need both. No shortcuts. Due process must prevail,” they said.
