Threats force Pikitup to stop removing illegal dumps at Ginger Park settlement
A local businessman spent more than R16 000 to remove burning refuse and rubble near Ginger Park informal settlement, after residents claimed repeated reports to Pikitup went unanswered. The waste-management entity has denied the allegations, saying the site is dangerous and difficult to clear.
A long-standing illegal dumping hotspot, near the Ginger Park informal settlement, has finally been cleared.
Not by the city, but by a local businessman who paid from his own pocket to restore safety and order to the area.
David Bakker, who has worked in the Fourways area for more than 23 years, funded the removal of burning refuse and large piles of building rubble, which had spilled onto Witkoppen Road, posing risks to motorists, pedestrians, and residents.
Read more: Lonehill businessman spends R16k to clear Ginger Park of decades of illegal dumping
Bakker spent over R16 000 on 15 truckloads to clear the waste, after hearing repeated complaints from residents who claimed their reports to Pikitup resulted in no action.
“I’ve watched this dumping grow for decades. Residents kept reporting it, and nothing changed. I felt it was time to give back and take action.” He added that the illegal dumping has not only created health hazards; it has negatively affected surrounding property values.
Bakker has committed to checking the site once a month to ensure it remains clean.
Ward councillor David Foley praised the intervention, calling it an example of true community leadership. “Many thanks to private citizen David Bakker, who paid for the removal of the burning refuse and rubble. This is what active citizenry is all about. He doesn’t even live in this ward. Well done, David.”
In response to allegations that multiple complaints went unanswered, Pikitup spokesperson Muzi Mkhwanazi denied that the entity ignored residents. “The allegation is not true. Pikitup has gone to the site to try to clear the illegally dumped waste in the area.”
Also read: Gauteng MEC leads cleaning of Clay Oven dumping site after months of resident appeals
He added that the entity had conducted several clean-ups at the hotspot. However, operations were repeatedly disrupted.
“The challenges experienced during attempts to clear the dumping site are the people operating from the site. They intimidate and threaten employees and make demands that they should be employed to clean the site. These threats are made even when law enforcement agencies are present.”
Mkhwanazi further explained that the location itself makes effective clearance difficult. “The site is in a very bad area, to the extent that illegal dumping equipment, including tractor loader backhoes, cannot gain access.”
He also said that the issue requires a co-ordinated government approach. “The matter will be escalated, because the eradication of the illegal dumping will need a multi-entity approach, which would include JMPD.”
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