Harare residents on Monday petitioned the local authority over the current cholera outbreak.
Harare has recorded over 20 cases of cholera in the past few weeks.
According to a Health and Child Care ministry situational report released on Friday, Harare has been recording at least five cases since Wednesday last week.
The country has recorded a cumulative total of 665 suspected cholera cases and five deaths.
In a petition addressed to mayor Jacob Mafume, residents said the council was largely to blame for the cholera outbreak.
“We are further disturbed by Harare City Council’s failure to efficiently attend to and provide permanent solutions to perennial sewer bursts, access to clean potable water and non-collection of refuse which are major drivers of waterborne diseases including cholera with a potential to contribute to the spiking and surging of reported cases in Glen View, Budiriro, Mbare and Dzivarasekwa,” the petition read.
“A case in point is at number 4257 Glen View 3, where sewer bursts contaminated a well which residents rely on for domestic purposes posing a health hazard to the residents of Harare.”
Residents also said the incompetence of the city council had led to extremely poor sanitary conditions in high-density suburbs, leading to recurrent outbreaks.
Newsday
