FBO concerned about illegal dumping

Faith-based organisations have strongly condemned illegal dumping and crime that is affecting churches, schools, parks and various other recreational areas around the township.

Various church leaders raised concerns about health hazards that could be caused by waste illegally dumped on vacant land near their churches, schools and in some instances in places where children play.

Church leaders met at the Vosloorus customer care centre on July 29 to discuss some of the challenges affecting the community.

FBO member Muhammad Sithole said the moral decay in society is the reason why there is an ever-rising crime, as well as drugs and alcohol challenges.

The group is disappointed by how people lost respect for worship spaces in the township.

“People dump any rubble, including dead animals and used baby nappies. It does not stop and there is no plan to eradicate this issue,” said Sithole.

He said if people’s morality is strong they should know that cleanness is close to godliness.

According to FBO leader, Mandla Maseko, some of the affected areas include the New Apostolic Church located at the corner of Sinso and Moagi streets in Vosloorus.

New Apostolic Church leader Bongani Mabuza said besides the issue of littering they are also affected by crime.
He said some of the spotlights outside his church building have been stolen.

Mabuza explained the church premises are secured with a fence and gates that are always locked. However, criminals cut the fence to enter the premises.

Another area of great concern is the public park at Dladla and Radebe streets, near the New Apostolic Church in Vosloorus, which is used as an illegal dumping site.

The FBOs intend to continue promoting health and cleanness through awareness, inspiring the community to love and respect their environment.

Cleaning campaign

Ward 44 Clr Nkosinathi Shongwe and FBO members initiated a cleaning campaign on August 8, which is expected to touch down in various parts of the ward.

They started cleaning the illegal dumping site at one of the public parks near the New Apostolic Church.
Shongwe said there are a lot of challenges linked to illegal dumping.

One of the biggest causes of dumping is that they were supposed to receive 240l wheelie bins, but were told that the department has moved to Boksburg.

“We have spoken to the customer relationship management about the wheelie bins. The department has promised to provide bins for the whole of Vosloorus.”

Shongwe said he hoped they would educate the community through awareness campaigns to take care of the environment.

“We live in an environment that is no longer conducive for children and those who are spiritually inclined.”

The councillor appeals to the community to refrain from converting vacant spaces into illegal dumping sites.

“There are contractors supposed to remove illegal dumping sites circulating the township. We are just waiting for that amount to be allocated to the relevant department. It was supposed to commence on July 1.

“But as you can see we are in the second month of the first quarter of the 2022/23 financial year and some of the things we were complaining about were supposed to be addressed by this time,” said Shongwe.

He spoke about a previous project called Green Development Foundation, which assisted with cleaning illegal dumping sites.

“We are now under a new administration. We did not receive answers from the current administration on what happened to the project because not only did it keep the township clean, it created job opportunities for people,” said Shongwe.

He said in the next four weeks they will continue with the cleaning campaign on weekends. The campaign will tackle the illegal dumping site at the Masisulu Hostel, from where they will move next to Assemblies of God and an area in Mabuya Park.

“We have tried to engage the Department of Environment and Waste to provide us with a truck that will be able to collect the waste once we are done. We are appealing to the community to refrain from using those spaces as illegal dumping sites.

“We should rather convert those spaces to assist the community into agricultural sites or multi-purpose parks for children,” Shongwe noted.

Nomsa Shongwe said this is only the beginning of a bigger picture of what they want to archive in Vosloorus.

“We want every neighbour to know that littering is not good for the environment. We cannot continue dumping because we are making things difficult not only for ourselves but for our leaders in the community,” she said.