The City of Ekurhuleni has officially re-opened the Weltevreden landfill site. The site, which had been closed for months after a fire incident in October last year among other issues, was re-opened to the public last Wednesday.
MMC for Waste Management Services and Environment Resources André du Plessis commended officials for working tirelessly with contractors to ensure the facility is re-opened speedily for the convenience of the public.
Du Plessis urged all residents utilising such facilities to be more vigilant when dealing with recyclable materials such as plastic and paper that may easily be ignited by fire and end up causing potentially irreversible damage to the environment.
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According to the municipality, the fire that gutted the site was started by informal waste recyclers operating from the Plastic City informal settlement situated opposite the facility.
Du Plessis apologised to the public for the inconvenience that was caused as a result of the unforeseen closure of the site and further thanked them for their understanding, patience and co-operation during the period.
During the site’s closure, the entrance and surrounding area became an illegal dumping hot spot. This too is being attended to and the area is being cleaned.
“The place has been neglected but we are busy cleaning around the terrain and I am pleased to say the progress that has been made was done in only 10 days,” said du Plessis.
He and Brakpan Ward 97 councillor Brandon Pretorius are planning to keep a close eye on the illegal dumping and told the Herald they are working hard to keep the landfill site optimally functional.
