The bedbug crisis that has been troubling Mbare in Harare for months is now said to have crept into Bulawayo, leaving residents frustrated and desperate for relief.
Those living in Block 46 and the flats behind Patapata Beer Garden, in Ward 9, say they’re now enduring sleepless nights as the tiny pests spread through their homes.
According to residents, pleas for help have been made to the Bulawayo City Council, but the response has only added to their distress.
Households have reportedly been asked to pay US$47 each for fumigation services, a fee many simply cannot afford. Ward 9 Residents’ Chairperson, Stanslous Dube, said:
That amount is simply out of reach for most of our elderly residents. The infestation is real. Block 46 and the flats near Patapata are the worst-hit. People are begging for help.
Ward Secretary for Environment, Dumisani Moyo, has called on the government to step in, warning that the bedbug problem is quickly spiralling out of control.
He added that many residents are suffering in silence, too embarrassed to speak out or seek help.
Meanwhile, Ward Councillor Donaldson Mabutho has pledged to visit the affected areas to assess the situation first-hand.
But when contacted for comment, Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart said he had yet to receive an official report.
More: Chronicle
We must ban all buses from Harare
Safa ngama Shona.
You talking as if Lina maNdebele alikho eHarare, ungasjwayeli
Msunu wakho ke wena
Kunzima ngempela , the fumigation services should be affordable.
City fathers need to act quickly lapha,this is a serious crisis Mayor don’t tell us about an official report lapha ,listen to the cries of your people