Soap scavenger suffers chemical burns at dumpsite

By Nyaradzo Bakari

A 63-year-old woman from Pumula East suburb was almost crippled after she was burnt on her legs after allegedly coming into contact with a chemical while collecting soap dumped at a site in the area.

Ms Ometty Dube said she suffered burns after she went to an old infill dumpsite in the suburb twice to collect waste soap.“I heard many people talking about the site and how they have made money from the soap waste. I went there also but I was scared to gather something for myself the first time. When I visited the site the second time in January, I decided to try the soap too. I went into the dump and discovered that the mud was too deep. It was knee deep and soon after getting out of the dump, I started to feel my legs itch,” she said.

“When I told fellow women they told me the soap is itchy but the itching goes away soon after bathing. When I returned home, I told my children and we all thought it was something minor. The burns worsened with days such that I had to go to the clinic. I was referred to hospital and doctors said it was some kind of caustic chemical that was eating me up and I had been lucky that it had not reached the bones. I could have been crippled if I had not gotten treatment earlier.”

Ms Dube said she was admitted at Mpilo Central Hospital for 10 days.

She said she incurred hospital expenses that were more than $200 and was still under medication.

Pumula East Councillor, Clayton Zana said he received three reports of people who have alleged been affected by the chemical.

He said the chemical is suspected to be sulphuric acid.“We have received reports that three people have been affected by this chemical. We have identified Gogo Dube and we are yet to identify the other two. It is something really terrible and a hazard to the community. We have engaged Bulawayo City Council and they have promised to engage the company dumping waste soap about the issue,” said Cllr Zana.

The councillor discouraged members of the public from going to the dump site as it poses a health hazard. The Chronicle