Community calls for end to ‘toxic’ fires

Benoni central residents are appealing to the metro to put an end to tyre burning practices in Harpur Avenue.

July 19, 2023

Jani de Beer 2 minutes read

Rubbish pickers carting tyres along Amphill Avenue is a regular site, and an indication that fire will soon be set along Harpur Avenue or at the abandoned Benoni station.

‘We are victims of ecocide’, are the pleas of desperate residents of Harpur and Amphill avenues, Benoni as they claim toxic fires jeopardise their health and the environment.

In recent months community members have flooded the City of Ekurhuleni emergency line with calls, requesting assistance to extinguish fires they claim are purposely set by vagrants and rubbish pickers.

“Plumes of black smoke have become a daily occurrence around the old train station as well as along Luton Street, Industry and Liverpool roads,” said one resident who wished to remain anonymous out of fear of victimisation.

“Along with other residents, we have gone to the sites of these fires, only to find stacks of burning tyres. Recyclers return once the fire has died to collect the remaining steel.

A pile of burnt out tyre’s on the side of Liverpool Road.

“Our health is suffering, and our quality of life has drastically deteriorated. Yet, it seems that these activities are allowed to continue unhindered.”

According to residents, vagrants are often seen amidst the hive of activity, even setting fires in the abandoned station office and on the platforms, in full view of PRASA security officials.

They further claim a spate of power outages could be attributed to these individuals’ conquests in acquiring coper to secure a more attractive payday from unscrupulous scrap dealers.

“We have come across several burn sites where copper cabling can be seen beneath the smouldering remnants of the tyres while our area is plunged into darkness due to nearby cable theft,” they said.

“Driving around this area we are aware of the numerous piles of tyres next to the side of the road. Surely the EMPD and police must be seeing the same things?

A vagrant is seen tending to his fire in the veld along Luton Road.

“Could they not be more proactive in removing it, as this practice harbours criminality, which in effect harms the community?”

Acting on behalf of the concerned residents, Ward 73 PR Clr Mike Waters says he has directed his enquiry to parliament, requesting an investigation into the environmental impact of these activities.

“It is time to do something proactive,” said Waters.

“Money is being spent on security personnel to guard a state-owned entity’s infrastructure, which has already been stripped to its foundations. However, it is falling into further disrepair with rubbish being burnt on nearly every flat surface of the once bustling station.

“I have further met with heads of the EMPD as well as the Benoni Police Station to ramp up patrols to curb the fires.”

Waters said the onus should not rest with residents to investigate this matter.

While inspecting the Benoni Station, two women can be seen on the platform starting a fire.

“We do rely on the community to bring matters such as these to our attention, however, we have residents putting themselves in harm’s way to determine patterns or identifying culprits.”

Waters said with the world turning its attention to the impact of pollution on the environment and human lives, we should not ignore the criminal elements behind these frequent tyre burns.

“Critical infrastructure is being damaged for minimal yields of copper. We need decisive and swift action to clamp down on these crimes, only benefiting the perpetrators,” he said.

At the time of publication, no comment had been received from the city.