Refuse woes plague residents

KENNETH Gardens residents can look forward to cleaner surroundings absent of odours, flies, rats and roaches once eThekwini new solid waste and cleansing contracts are finalised.

Residents have had to put up with apalling conditions in recent weeks as refuse which was collected daily, was left to pile up for a week before being removed.

“The dirt lies piled up near the washing lines attracting maggots, flies, cocroaches and rats,” complained one angry resident who said she had been informed that the contract for the removal of the refuse had expired and the municipality was in the process of appointing nrew contracts. “This has been the story for weeks,” she said.

The resident, a pensioner who has been living in Kenneth Gardens for more than 40 years said when refuse was collected daily, the complex was better maintained and communal areas like stairways and passages were swept and cleaned every day. “This is no longer being done. What are we to do while [we wait for] the powers that be to actually do something. We are plagued by flies, cockroaches and rats. It is a serious health hazard,” she said. “I understand that there are processes for everything and that things take time. However, if they knew that the contract was not going to be renewed, they should have started making proper plans a long time ago so that we would not have to live like this,” she said.

Ward councillor, Nicole Graham, said she was aware of the problem. “I have recently sent an email to the Head of Housing, Yunus Sacoor, about a number of issues at Kenneth Gardens. He said tthey would get back to me. I have also requested a meeting with a senior official to discuss various things as I am a new ward councillor. One of these is solid waste and cleansing. I am awaiting a response,” said Graham.

The municipality has confirmed that refuse will be collected twice a week. “The Municipality is in the process of finalizing the appointment of cleaners in all Council properties including the flats (Kenneth Gardens). The process is being handled by the Supply Chain Management Section. We are temporarily utilizing the general workers and supervisors to clear the refuse to the dump site, who were at Kenneth Gardens last week Thursday, to do the same. It is true the refuse had accumulated on Wednesday, since the staff only clears it every Thursday, in preparation for collection by the van on Friday. The refuse van collects on Tuesday and Friday. Since the holiday season has now begun, refuse will be collected both on Tuesdays and Fridays,” said municipal spokesman Thabo Mofokeng.