No light at the end of the illegal dumping tunnel
They are a lot of illegal dumpsites in Boksburg and surrounding areas.
Illegal dumpsites continue to plague Boksburg CBD and surrounding areas.
Some of these sites are on the corner of Station Road and Montagu Street and behind AIB Bakery in Boksburg CBD, the corner of 5th Avenue and Charl Cilliers Street in Boksburg North, and Abraham Foster Street, in Reiger Park, near Goede Hoop Primary School.
The principal of Goede Hoop Primary School, Jose Grotewold, said the dumpsite at the school developed a long time ago.
“When I arrived at the school in 2009 as a deputy principal, the illegal dumpsite was already there. Back then, the city used to clean it weekly. I believe the city spoiled residents, as they do not fine the offenders and keep cleaning the dump.
“The problem is the City of Ekurhuleni does not do regular waste removal, so people dump illegally. The community and our parents cleaned the area in January, but days later, the waste had piled up again,” said Grotewold.
“It is not people from outside our community dumping illegally. It is our residents. The waste spreads to the school, causing hygiene risks for our learners.
“Our learning environment is unhygienic. A stench comes from the illegal dumpsite, and we have a rat problem. We fear for our young learners, as we all know children are curious by nature. They might see something that interests them in the waste and go there. The next thing you know, a child is poisoned.”
The principal again expressed their plea for the city to curb illegal dumping.
While the Boksburg Advertiser was with the principal at the site, we witnessed residents with wheelie bins and trolleys dumping their waste near the school.
Elsie Malele, from the AIB Bakery in Boksburg CBD, said most of the illegal dumpsites in the CBD developed when the city was not collecting waste.
“The city’s refuse collection is still not adequate. The waste trucks do not come twice a week to collect waste like before. Businesses still leave out their waste on the pavements for a long time,” she said.
Some shop owners, she added, opt to leave their garbage behind the bakery.
Piet van Wyk, also from the bakery, said they took it upon themselves to clean the illegal dumping after they reported it to the city several times, with no outcome.
“We have cleaned it, but people continue dumping their waste here. The city must do something about this issue. There used to be a gate securing the area that has now turned into an illegal dumpsite,” said Van Wyk.
The Boksburg Advertiser has sent an enquiry to the city and is awaiting a response.
Also Read: Illegal dumping still plagues CBD
Also Read: WATCH: Councillor lashes out at solid waste department, denounces illegal dumping
