What was once a quiet stretch of countryside in Farmall has now become a dumping ground, and residents say they’ve had enough.

Two months after officials from Pikitup visited Kindred Avenue and promised to tackle the mounting piles of rubbish, the waste continues to grow, spilling across the road and into open spaces.

Read more: Two months on, illegal dumping still unchecked in Farmall

Resident Rosalee Nel says the problem has reached a breaking point. “The bags have been ripped open and scattered. There’s rubbish everywhere, it’s unhygienic and unsafe. Pikitup never came back.”

Community members fear the situation could soon pose a serious health and environmental risk, attracting pests and polluting the nearby greenbelt areas that define Farmall’s semi-rural lifestyle.

In August, Fourways Review reported that Pikitup had escalated the issue to the city’s regional director, describing it as a site requiring a multi-entity clean-up, involving the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) and other city departments.

Pikitup spokesperson Muzi Mkhwanazi previously said: “The rationale behind discussing the matter with the regional director’s office is that several key city entities are needed to assist in dealing with illegal dumping on the site, for example, details about the ownership of the site are needed, and if the site is privately owned, the resources that will be deployed to clear the illegal dumping will be passed down to the owner of the property.”

Xolani Fihla, JMPD spokesperson, said: “JMPD operates under the City of Johannesburg’s Public Safety Department, Operation Nomakanjani Manje Namhlanje, which is a multi-disciplinary initiative to enforce by-laws and restore order across the city.

“By-law enforcement is a continuous process, and JMPD collaborates with other city departments, such as City Power and Pikitup, to address illegal activities on public land.

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The department has a specific by-law enforcement unit for reporting by-law offences.

We also work with Pikitup and the Environmental Health department to conduct clean-up operations and enforce regulations against illegal dumping.”

However, residents say they have yet to see any tangible results. The ‘No Dumping’ sign requested by the community has also not been installed.

With frustration mounting, residents are calling for stronger by-law enforcement and a clear long-term solution before Farmall’s rural character is lost under a pile of neglect.

Fourways Review reached out to Pikitup spokesperson Muzi Mkhwanazi for an update, since it has been two months since they said they are working on this.

More information will be provided once it becomes available.

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