Tinotenda Hove – Masvingo City Mayor, Councillor Aleck Tabe, has sounded the alarm over a growing sanitation crisis in the city—used condoms are clogging the sewage system.

In a statement released on Friday, Mayor Tabe expressed deep concern about the improper disposal of condoms, which he says is contributing to frequent sewage blockages in Zimbabwe’s oldest city.

“Vagari vemuguta reMasvingo varikurasira macondom muma sewage kana vapedza kumashandisa, izvo zvirikunzeresa kubhaja kwemasewage muguta,” said Tabe, addressing the issue in Shona.

Translated, he noted: “Residents of Masvingo are throwing used condoms into the sewage system after use, which is causing blockages in the city’s sewer lines.”

The mayor urged residents to act responsibly. “We urge residents to dispose of condoms in bins,” he added. “We can’t control these issues of leisure and intimacy.”

Tabe suggested that the problem is being exacerbated by the presence of six institutions of higher learning in and around the city, pointing to high levels of sexual activity—commonly referred to as mjolo—as a contributing factor.

City engineers and sanitation workers have reportedly been battling recurring blockages, straining already stretched municipal resources.

The city council is expected to launch a public awareness campaign in the coming weeks, encouraging responsible waste disposal and safer hygiene practices among residents.