CoE’s landfill sites reach a critical point

If the information received is anything to go by, the CoE may face a waste crisis.

Some crammed landfill sites are short of the supplies necessary for equipment, maintenance, and operation of the sites.

The city has five landfill sites; Rietfontein, Rooikraal, Simmer and Jack, Platkop and Weltevreden.

ALSO READ: Simmer Jack landfill site closed

Two of the five, Simmer and Jack and Rietfontein, remain non-operational.

According to insiders, the ongoing sluggish operation at the solid waste disposal facilities has been a source of frustration for the operators of the waste collection trucks, who perpetually encounter challenges in accessing the facilities due to waste that overflows onto the working face of the site.

The waste has reportedly accumulated, and there is no available space at the workface for disposal.

“We were told that once the operators have received the diesel, they will begin creating space for disposal and then reopen the sites,” said a source.

“We were also told that in one instance this month, the trucks were, for days, left with only the Platkop site to dump waste because the Rooikraal and Weltevreden landfill sites were closed due to the diesel supplies temporarily shutting down for days, and this prolonged the waiting period for trucks to dump their waste.”

Reopening

Responding to our request for comment on the situation at the facilities, metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said that while the issue of supplies lies with the private contractors, the city is, as part of its ongoing effort to ease the pressure on the three operational sites, working with other stakeholders to reopen the two non-operational landfill sites.

He said the city aims to reopen the non-operational facilities early this year.

Dlamini lamented the challenges faced by garbage trucks operated by service providers and the city itself when a site closest to their area of operations is temporarily closed.

ALSO READ: Complaints arise regarding Simmer and Jack Landfill Site

“The city fully understands the frustrations and increased overheads incurred by our contractors, the city’s trucks and the public in travelling to sites far from their operational areas. It also impacts their turnaround time for garbage collections because some trucks must spend additional time travelling to far-flung sites.

“It is for that reason that the city is working with the provincial authorities to reopen the Simmer and Jack landfill site, which was closed after a fire broke out last year.

“We have already done everything necessary for the provincial government to give us the required authorisation to operate again. We hope that will happen in a few weeks from now.”

The Rietfontein landfill remains non-operational due to the complaints levelled by the residents of Springs, who began blockading roads leading to the site to protest poor site management and “failure” to consider residents when employing the operators.

“We are negotiating with the affected community of Springs and hope the disputes over the site’s operation will be resolved soonest.”