Where are our refuse bags? says Hillcrest resident
A furious resident said he has not received refuse bags for the past three months.
FRUSTRATED Hillcrest resident is looking for answers as to why he is not receiving black refuse bags. Alan Dives said he has not received any refuse bags from Durban Solid Waste (DSW) for the past three months. An angry Dives said, “This issue has caused people to illegally dump refuse along Inanda Road near Crestholme.”
“The last time I received a pack of black bags was more than three months ago, and that was because I ran after the DSW truck and asked them to please assist me in obtaining refuse bags. I was given only one pack. How are we expected to survive if we cannot receive basic necessities?” Dives said.
According to Dives, the complete lack of orange recycling bags is just as bad as not receiving the mandatory black bags. “Communities are often encouraged to recycle, yet the bags are not delivered to us and are unobtainable in stores,” he added.
“I am big on recycling, and not receiving bags has made it very difficult for me. I have taken it into my own hands to recycle by putting the respective products into buckets I have kept around my house. I have buckets filled with various recyclables but no bags to discard them in.”
During these difficult economic times, Dives believes it is unfair that taxpayers have to purchase their own bags. “I am angered by this issue because the cost of refuse bags is included in our monthly refuse bill, yet we still do not receive them.”
The desperate resident said he is now forced to store his waste in bags which he obtains from local shopping centres. “My wife and I are forced to store our rubbish in shopping packets which we have to collect from our local shopping centres.”
Dives said, “This is a serious problem for large families who use multiple refuse bags per week. It could also pose a serious health hazard for both humans and pets, as residents would have to store these make-shift refuse bags full of garbage in their properties.” After numerous complaints and no solution, Dives is appealing to anyone who can fast-track the situation.
EThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said, “We are not aware of any issues with the delivery of black bags. However, residents experiencing issues with this are encouraged to contact Durban Solid Waste on 031 311 8841. The matter has been reported to the relevant unit for investigation.”
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