Government gives Bulawayo one week to fix landfill fires

The government gave Bulawayo City Council a one-week ultimatum to resolve toxic landfill fires at Ngozi Mine, as reported by DailyNews, amid growing public outcry. The direct intervention follows months of inaction by the council, which has failed to contain the environmental and health hazard despite repeated warnings from residents. The fires have been burning for weeks, releasing toxic smoke that affects nearby residents and poses serious health risks, including respiratory problems and other ailments. The ultimatum highlights the government's frustration with local governance failures and the need for urgent action to prevent a public health crisis from escalating. The city's chronic waste management failures expose a governance gap that private contractors are now being rushed to fill, often without competitive bidding or transparency. This raises concerns about accountability and long-term solutions, as the government risks repeating past mistakes with opaque deals and cronyism.