Illegal dumping no longer EMM’s concern
The municipality has changed its tune with regards to illegal dumping behind the Pebble Creek Estate in Greenstone, after building rubble was not cleared by the promised date.
Council has now said that comment regarding illegal dumping within the servitude was meant for another newspaper.
In the July 24 edition of the NEWS, it was reported that residents of the upmarket estate are furious that illegal dumping is allowed to continue in the servitude.
Up to seven loads of building rubble is illegally dumped on a daily basis in the field by contractors who refuse to drive to Germiston.
In the same article, municipal spokesperson Mr Samuel Modiba said the illegal dumping was related to a housing development in the area.
“A meeting was conducted with the contractor responsible for the development. An agreement was reached that the contractor would start removing the rubble as soon as possible,” said Mr Modiba.
He added that the clearing of the property should be finalised by the end of July.
The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) has now washed its hands of the situation.
After the article was published, the EMM media department contacted the NEWS.
According to a representative from the department, the incorrect comment had been sent to the NEWS.
“The comment was meant for the Springs Advertiser,” the NEWS was told.
In its corrected comment to the NEWS, the EMM now states that the property belongs to the City of Johannesburg (CoJ).
“To put it into perspective, Aitken Road, which has been closed off, divides City of Ekurhuleni and CoJ,” said Mr Modiba.
“The illegal dumping in question is taking place on the other side of EMM’s jurisdiction.”.
He added that residents, on both sides, should know the correct authority to direct their complaints or enquiries to – based on their location.
“It is unfortunate, therefore, that in view of the reasons provided a response to the complaints in this regard cannot be provided,” Mr Modiba said.
When the NEWS first received complaints of illegal dumping in the servitude, Johannesburg City Parks was contacted for comment, as well as Eskom.
The following day, media spokesperson for the department, Mrs Jenny Moodley, responded that the servitude in question fell under Ekurhuleni.
The NEWS then contacted Mr Modiba for comment.
His comment regarding the illegal dumping was received by deadline and placed into the article, to the delight of frustrated residents.
The following week, when nothing was done to clear the dumping as promised, the NEWS again contacted Mr Modiba.
It was then discovered that the wrong comment had allegedly been sent to the NEWS.
Despite this, members of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) have undertaken to continue issuing fines to those caught illegally dumping in the servitude.
Spokesperson for the EMPD, Chief Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago, said officers would continue to periodically patrol the area.
Recently, seven individuals were slapped with fines of R1 500 each.
“Our officers stayed on the scene until the offenders re-loaded the rubble onto their vehicles. Two of the vehicles were also issued with discontinue notices after they were found to be un-roadworthy,” Supt Kgasago said.
“It is crucial that those community members who witness such offences call our emergency center, so that the culprits can be caught and prosecuted,” he said.
The EMPD control room can be contacted on 011 923-0100.
