BY STEPHEN CHADENGA Gweru City Council intends to add more pay toilets in the central business district (CBD) in a bid to maintain clean ablution facilities as well as boost revenue for the cash-strapped local authority. Currently there is only one council-owned pay toilet in the CBD opposite OK supermarket. “We are rehabilitating our public toilets in the CBD and in line with the smart city concept these will obviously be pay toilets,”Makombe said during a recent engagement meeting with Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe Gweru chapter. “We have also engaged a partner to rehabilitate public toilets in high-density suburbs of Mkoba 6, Ascot and at Mambo shopping centre respectively. “We want to ensure we have clean toilets in the city as well as boost our revenue streams.” Last year, council announced that it would lease toilets at the Kudzanai long-distance bus terminus in a bid to keep them clean and raise revenue for the city. The move followed recommendations by councillors that the toilets should be rented out to private players to keep them well-maintained. Over the years residents have blamed council for failing to clean public toilets, forcing people to relieve themselves in sanitary lanes. Kudzanai was singled out as having the filthiest toilets in the city. Other dirty toilets include the ones at TM commuter omnibus station and those at Ascot rank.
