Local pleads with council to implement her solution to illegal dumping in Daveyton

Heaps of rubbish are piled up against the wall along the perimeter of the cemetery on Motanyane Street, Daveyton, spilling into the surrounding open space and park.

What was once a respected communal area has deteriorated into a full-blown illegal dumping site.

The area is littered with household refuse, discarded car tyres and broken electronic equipment, creating an unsightly and unhealthy environment for nearby residents.

However, a solution may be in sight.

Waste management advocate Kabelo Sebiloane, who lives in Daveyton, has unveiled a plan aimed at reclaiming the space and ending the dumping.

“We live in unpleasant conditions because the municipality doesn’t deliver services on time. They don’t collect refuse on time and, sometimes, don’t collect at all.

“I’m trying to come up with a solution to reduce the waste being dumped by community members in this open space,” she said.

Through her company, the Leano La Sechaba Waste Management and Consultancy, Sebiloane is pleading with the CoE to lease the open space next to the graveyard to her to set up her recycling business.

“I humbly request the municipality to give us this space. I will put up a fence and start operating to solve this environmental issue plaguing this community.

“At the same time, this will serve as a socio-economic impact on the community. We will pay them when they bring their waste. There is cash for their trash.”

Currently operating from a container that’s full to capacity with recyclables, Sebiloane is concerned about the harm caused to the environment and people living nearby from the litter.

Also Read: Illegal dumping needs to stop

“The graveyard is a heritage site, and this illegal dumping site is next to people’s houses. We shouldn’t be dumping here. Let’s rather start an agricultural business, clean the park next to it and plant trees, or allow me to occupy the space for recycling. It won’t only benefit me, but also the community and environment.”

Vision

Sebiloane is an environmental management PhD student at the University of Johannesburg. Her thesis focuses on waste management practices in industrial and eco-parks in SA.

“I came up with this because I can’t be studying about waste management and live in a community suffering from illegal dumping. That’s how I started the company. We collect organic waste, cans and plastic bottles.

“We recently introduced the LDPE (packaging plastic) collection because we realised it’s the one causing the most environmental harm.

“Rather than people dumping in landfills, which ends up causing pollution and harming marine life, they must sell it to us.”

Beyond this, Sebiloane has a vision to open an academy to upskill young unemployed people in the community.

“I’m looking into introducing innovation to train unemployed youth. We can start a waste management academy and manufacture using recycled waste.

“Those who want to change their lives can come here and learn. It’s a vision that goes beyond the traditional meaning of recycling.”

The Benoni City Times is awaiting a response from the CoE.

Also Read: Illegal dumping continues despite clean-up efforts