WATCH: Metro slammed over inaction to stop toxic fires

Residents have lambasted the City of Ekurhuleni for what they said is inaction in the face of an ongoing environmental disaster wreaking havoc on the health of residents, including pupils at Comet Primary School and the senior citizens at Andries Scribante Haven in Cason.

According to concerned residents, they are forced to contend with plumes of toxic smoke and a suffocating smell emanating from waste being burnt at a nearby illegal dumpsite – just a stone’s throw away from the city’s environmental health department on Trichardts Road.

The source of the harmful fires is an illegal dumpsite located in the stretch of the open land next to Blue Sky informal settlement.
The smoke emissions are reportedly a daily occurrence – morning, noon and night.
Frustrated members of the community and the area’s ward councillor, Marius de Vos, said despite several request for the city’s environmental health and fire units intervention to put an end to this, no one seems to care.

“It’s a health hazard. I was there for a few minutes and I could hardly breath. I wonder how the people living here are coping with breathing the polluted air every day,” lamented de Vos.

“This matter is widely reported to all facets of the departments, including the fire and environmental health units located a stone’s throw from here. The fire is burning on their door-steps.
“Again today (June 18), I requested the emergency services to send a fire truck to put out the fire, but they didn’t come, after telling me they had three more fires to attend to,” said de Vos.

What we saw
The Boksburg Advertiser visited the area on June 18 and was hit by suffocating smoke billowing from the burning mounds of industrial waste.
What was once an ecosystem friendly green space has become a haven for illegal dumping. It’s been turned into an operational business of some sort, with a large space filled with mountains of waste, from toxic items to building rubbles and garden waste.

The area has attracted a group of people who are scavenging and extracting scrap metals from the mountains of salvage materials – frequently dumped in full view of residents.
The Advertiser was told during the visit of possible involvement of a syndicate which collects money from the local companies that frequently dump truckloads of their waste at the site.
After a lot of back-and-forth to get officials to tackle the problem, de Vos turned to the Boksburg police for help.
Rubber
A team, consisting of its SAPS, EMPD and Gauteng Crime Wardens members, then descended on the area on June 18 and stopped the perpetrators in their tracks, as they all ran away when the police arrived.

According to de Vos, with the involvement of police, on close investigation it was found that the mounds of waste, believed to be from known local companies, contain pieces of recyclable materials, including nuts and bolts that are covered in hard vulcanised rubber.
Therefore, the people who are salvaging scrap metals from the piles of waste, burn up the mounds using scrap tyres to extract the recyclable material from the hard vulcanised rubber – a process which then emits the fumes that poison residents.

Tyres
It was also during our visit found that a known local businessman who deals in second-hand tyres drops some of his scrap tyres there.
Police questioned him after he was caught driving a bakkie loaded with tyres and destined for the illegal dumping site.
His response was that he often delivers the tyres on request from the people living in the informal settlement, and that he had no idea what they are used for.

“I’m not the one burning tyres. I buy second-hand tyres from different dealers and resell those that are still usable. I then give the people the unusable scrap tyres,” he said.
However, des Vos insisted that there is a syndicate involved.

Also Read: Tyre burners continue to poison the city

“I have it on good authority that there is a well-know individual who gave permission to start this informal business operation. This thing is run by some illegal operators who are probably taking money from the dumpsters.
“The people we found working here are mostly undocumented foreign nationals who are just small fish exploited to collect this pieces of scrap metals containing copper and then give to the bosses to sell it further.
“There are reports that the ‘customers’ of this illegal dumping ground include known registered companies in Anderbolt, builders and garden services.”
Residents
Recounting his unhappiness over the illegal dumpsite, a frustrated William Sehlango who lives in close proximity to the smoking dumpsite said: “The smell is unbearable, and causing havoc.
“I’ve got a toddler who turns and turns at night because she cannot breathe properly due to the smoke.
“We don’t open the windows, but the smell still get to us. The house, clothes and curtains stink of this smell.

“The problem started in June 9 and has been burning continuously like hell fire. When there is heavy wind, it also carries dust into our homes.
“We called the fire department many times, got reference numbers, but nothing has happened. It’s like our request for help fall on deaf ears
“We are all fearing for our health. We have an asthmatic neighbour who is badly affected by the smoke.”

Another concerned local, Sarel Ras, complained that the situation gets worse during the night, and that it’s not only having an adverse effect on those who live in the area, but motorists find it difficult to navigate through the plumes of smoke along Padda Street and Trichardts Road in the morning and evenings.
“They are burning tyres and rubber, and I battle to breath in the early morning hours when I travel through that area to work on my motorbike.
School
Comet Primary School, is among those suffering the impacts of smoke coming from the smoking illegal waste disposal site across the street.
Deputy principal Bheki Masondo said it’s concerning for the school population.

“The persisting smoke has since last week been troubling us greatly when it reaches our classrooms.
“It’s unfair. Regardless of the reason why they are doing this, their actions put the health of many other people at serious risk.
“I have teachers who are complaining about being blocked and battling to breath properly. Some have even resorted to wearing masks.
“We are also especially worried about what the exposure to the toxic fumes might mean for the children’s health in the long term.
“They may not complain now, but they may due to being exposed to these fumes find themselves developing diseases at a later stage from this toxic smoke.”

In his closing remarks, the ward councillor said the municipality is part of the problem by it’s failure to ensure that environmental regulations are adhered to.
“All that residents are asking for them is to come up with a solution, including clearing the rubbish, and preventing further dumping through proper enforcement of the relevant by-laws.”

The metro has not yet responded to our request for comment.

Also Read: WATCH: Mini dumpsite harms the health of locals