Tour operators, residents take up the initiative to keep Victoria Falls the cleanest city in Africa

BY BRENDA NCUBE

Being driven by the ambition to make Victoria Falls the cleanest resort city in Africa, residents and tourism operators have continued to take up the initiative in large numbers in line with modern trends of greening tourism.

The initiative called the Pristine Victoria Falls Society (PVFS) was founded a few years ago and according to the members of the community the initiative aims to maintain the cleanliness, naturalness and greenness of the City.

The companies and individuals pledge to be responsible for the cleaning and picking of litter in any areas of their choice even in residential areas.

So far, over 40 tourism based companies and a total of above130 combined companies and individuals have joined the initiative.

Speaking to VicfallsLive, Clement Mukwasi, president of Employers Association for Tours and Safari Operators, said the initiative has taken a deliberate decision to be a green destination.

“We are putting an eye on pollution and seriously discouraging motor vehicle operators and passengers from throwing out litter from moving vehicles,” Mukwasi said.

“We are actually ensuring that the Environmental Management Agency laws are enforced while also ensuring citizen arrest in circumstances where we find them littering is effected,” he said.

Following the declaration of the first Friday of every month as a national clean up day by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2018, the campaign has since became a culture for all institutions and individuals locally and nationally.

Mukwasi’ sentiments were also seconded by Shearwater Adventure director Mike Davis, who recently implored the Victoria Falls City Council to strengthen bylaws on waste management and to ensure that offenders are arrested and fined.

Davis also proposed the use of environmentally friendly, biodegradable packaging to preserve the natural environment.

“About 80% of litter we send to the dump site is plastic, which destroys the naturalness of our environment and pose as a threat to wildlife,” he said.

“In the near future, plastic packaging must be banned because we are a unique community that has to learn to live in harmony with nature.

To strengthen the efforts, the Victoria Falls Waste Management Task Force which is composed of EMA, Victoria Falls City Council, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Pristine PVFS reported that in 2022, issued 35 spot fines littering tickets to individuals and business outlets within the residential and Central Business areas.

Moreso, four businesses with pits in their backyards were also asked to fill them up and clean the surrounding environment and one shop ordered to close and resume operations only when they have met minimum waste management requirements.

PVFS’s Plan for tomorrow

“Part of our team is out with major tourism players cleaning up the airport road from as early as 6am,” the organisation said.

“Team two is out on Kazungula road assessing the situation and illegal dumping areas there.”