Illegal dumping site in Glen Marais to be cleaned up
The MMC said the department will do an assessment of the operation and budget accordingly. The current budget for Illegal dumping clean-up in the City of Ekurhuleni is R1.5-million.
Ward councillor Amanda Davison has raised concerns over a looming environmental disaster in Glen Marais.
According to Davison, last year, an unknown construction company started dumping building rubble in the open space next to the J&J Maritz Quarry, off Old Pretoria Road.
She said during the recent waste removal crisis the area became a free-for-all all dumping site.
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“This created an environment for the homeless to live in very dangerous and unhealthy conditions. Criminal activities have increased at the quarry,” she added.
According to Davison, during heavy rainfall unknown chemicals from the illegal dump seep into the ground and then into the river. This leads to a wetland area.
“These chemicals negatively affected the Water Use License (WUL) of the J&J Maritz Quarry.
“This contaminated water from the river and wetland flows through the Erasmus Farm and Serengeti Estates and into the Rietvlei Dam, which provides water to Tshwane.”
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Daveson said that after months of communication with the Environment and Waste Department, with no responses or actions, questions were submitted to the MMC of Environment and Waste Management Department, Eunice Matloga, in the council meeting on September 28.
Matloga indicated that the department is in the process of initiating a clean-up of the area, coordinating recourses due to the size of the area and that it would be completed by the end of October.
The MMC indicated that the department will do an assessment of the operation and budget accordingly. The current budget for cleaning up the city is R1.5m.
“The area is council-owned. The environmental resource department will discuss the clean-up plan with the Real Estate department.
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“The department will ensure to include in the plan the usage of concrete barriers or fencing to prevent further illegal dumping in that spot and it will deter individuals from disposing of waste unlawfully.
“The department will also ensure that enforcement by relevant authorities forms part of the envisaged plan,” said Matloga.
As to the question of rehabilitation of the area, wetland and river, Matloga said that the department will engage the Water and Sanitation Department for water quality testing and rehabilitation plans going forward, depending on the budget.
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The Kempton Express along with Davison and officers from the EMPD, visited the site last week Friday.
Besides clear evidence of a recent fire, it was noticed that the clean-up had already commenced.
The acting divisional head for the Environment and Waste Department confirmed that the clean-up had begun.
