Zola Kupa, a resident of Clay Oven informal settlement, has been hailed a hero by his community after taking action against illegal dumping in the area last week.

The incident occurred on November 26 when a large truck dumped rubble at the front gate of the settlement.

“They dumped rubble and then left,” Kupa said. “I attempted to chase them, but they returned with another load. By that time, I was already waiting with my phone. I took photos of the truck and the rubble and reported it to the local authorities.”

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Within 30 minutes, the same truck that had illegally dumped the rubble returned to remove the illegally dumped debris, which, according to Kupa, took them nearly five hours to remove.

He said this was not an isolated incident. “It’s not the first time. I’ve been following these trucks for a while, but sometimes my phone would die or jam on me, so I didn’t have proof. I kept quiet, but I never stopped chasing them. I’ll continue trying to identify the companies responsible for dumping illegally.”

For Kupa, tackling illegal dumping is about protecting the reputation and rights of his community. “When people see rubble here, they blame the residents of Clay Oven. Most of it is not caused by the people from our camp. Many residents just stay quiet, even when they should be complaining. I’m trying to make them see that this is a mess and that we shouldn’t be blamed for it.”

He emphasised the importance of holding companies accountable. “I want at least one company to be approached and told that dumping here is not allowed. It’s violating everyone’s rights.”

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He said illegal dumping is often motivated by cost-cutting. Kupa suspects that in this case, the truck driver dumped the rubble for free, rather than paying the hefty fees at official disposal sites. “I assume the driver was given money, and instead of paying the fee, he decided to dump it here for free.”

Kupa’s vigilance has broader implications for the community. He noted that illegal dumping is not unique to Clay Oven. “Even near Lonehill or along the road towards the forest, people dump rubbish at night. You can see it everywhere, but when residents speak up, things start to change.

“This is about standing up for your rights and making sure your community is not unfairly blamed. I will continue to monitor and report illegal dumping wherever I see it.”

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