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BCC plans to fill up unclaimed pits

BBC

BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has announced plans to fill up unclaimed pits around the city after a nine-year-old boy drowned in an open pit behind council sewer works in Cowdray Park on Monday.

Deputy mayor Mlandu Ncube said sand poachers were largely responsible for the land degradation.

“As council we are going to refill the disused pits in the city but the challenge that we have is that of land poachers who always come back and reopen these pits. We are determined to come up with more effective ways to deal with these land poachers,” Ncube said.

 “We advise members of the public to work with council in the fight against these land poachers so that we eliminate the existence of these disused pits that pose a great threat to the lives of our children. I further encourage parents to ensure that children play in safer environments,” said Ncube.

Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said they were investigating the incident.

“On December 12 at around 2pm, the now deceased went to an open pit which is behind Bulawayo City Council sewer system in Cowdray Park, intending to swim with his friends," she said.

"As the now deceased and his friends were swimming, the now deceased drowned and his friends panicked and ran away. On the same date at around 1500hours, a report of a child who had drowned in the disused pit was made to the police."

"Also parents and guardians are urged to always monitor children under their care so as to avoid such incidents especially during the rainy season.”

Reports indicate that two children drowned in one of the unclaimed pits in 2020.

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