The City of Ekurhuleni has removed the illegal dumping from the entrance to the Rooikraal landfill and is planning to reopen the facility to the public within the next seven working days.
The waste disposal site was closed in December 2020.
According to the City’s spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini, the metro is restoring the landfill, which will be reopened soon.
“A new service provider has been appointed and has taken occupation of the site. The waste disposal site will be officially reopened to the public once all preparations are completed, and we are mainly focusing on fixing the weighbridge.
“Cable theft, vandalism and fixing the weighbridge is delaying the reopening time of the waste disposal site,” said Dlamini.
The community of Villa Liza and Windmill Park said they are glad to hear that the site will be reopened. Resident Sbongile Thusi of Windmill Park thanked the City and their new councillor, Andile Deamane, for hearing their complaints and taking a decision to reopen the landfill.
“It was frustrating when it was closed because people were dumping waste at the entrance and in the veld next to the entrance.
“The veld is also widely used for unlawful activities and we want to put a stop to this too.
“This is where we discovered the bodies of two women and a burnt body last month.
“We hope the City and our councillor will do something about the veld because it is causing heartaches for us.
“They must give the veld to local people to live on,” said Thusi.
Pastor Arnold Fortuin, who lives in Windmill Park, said they now feel safer because the waste at the entrance of the disposal site and in the veld has been removed.
A community leader, Mlindeli Geqeza of Villa Liza is appealing to the City to employ local residents when it reopens the landfill.
Also Read: Illegally dumped waste costs metro R80-m a year
