Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has started filling up the “pits of death” in Pelandaba West suburb and is employing Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to map and identify similar dangerous spots across the city.

Three people died early this month when they drowned in the pits, causing an outcry from residents and pressure groups.

The council started filling up the disused gaping holes on Tuesday which look like remnants of an open cast mine.

Earth moving machinery was deployed on site as council started rehabilitating the land which has become more of shafts due to the disused pits.

The deep holes are said to have been caused by sand poachers who took advantage of the construction of houses in most new suburbs.

A Chronicle news crew visited the site on Wednesday and found council staff rehabilitating the land by covering the pits.

Two weeks ago, Shane Ngona (20) from Pumula North drowned while taking a bath at the black spot and Nqobizitha Mhlanga (18) from the same suburb also drowned while attempting to rescue him.

The incident occurred just five days after a 15-year-old boy from Pelandaba West drowned while playing with friends at the same water body.

Ward 27 Councillor Alderman Siboniso Khumalo said it was a relief that council had acted to fill up the pits.

He said the loss of lives and rehabilitation of the environment calls for citizens to protect their surroundings.

One of the pits that was filled up with soil in Pelandaba. The pits had become a death trap in the area

“This is a problem that is caused by sand poachers. They do not understand that the city is paying a price for their irresponsible actions. Resources that could have been used to improve service delivery are now being channelled towards filling those pits. Unfortunately lives that were lost cannot be replaced. We are told that some of the pits were about five metres deep and anyone who plunged into them was at high risk of drowning,” said Ald Khumalo.

He said residents should avoid playing near similar water bodies.

Mr Khumbulani Maphosa from the Matabeleland Institute of Human Rights who was at the forefront of demanding that council should fill up the pits, commended the local authority for taking action, albeit after lives had been lost.

-State Media