Residents of the Lewisham area seem to be trapped in a maize of illegal dumpsites as rubbish piles up around every street corner of the small suburban area.
A photo taken by NEWS journalist Marizka Coetzer of hundreds of glass bottles dumped in the open field in Jaffe Street in Lewisham either indicates the after math of the party of the year, or someone using the open field as an illegal recycling dump.
Approaching the dumpsite one may be astonished by the carefully sorted piles of alcoholic glass beverage bottles which were carefully sorted into three piles according to colour, namely brown, green and clear glass.
It was clear to see among the sorted dump in the field that most of the bottles were alcoholic beverages which may possibly have come from a local bar or tavern in the area.
The NEWS believes that the this unusual dumpsite is a result of street walkers that go through rubbish bins on Mondays to collect recyclable materials to sell.
According to the West Rand District Municipality’s Street and Miscellaneous by-law, no person shall spill, drop or place or permit to be spilled, dropped or placed, in or on any street or public place any matter, object or substance that may pollute such street or public place or which may cause annoyance, danger, risk or accident to persons, animals or vehicles using such street or public place, without removing it or causing it to be removed forthwith from such street or public place.
The bylaw states that people who are found guilty of illegal dumping may be liable to pay a fine of up to R2 000 or go to prison for up to three months, or both.
The by-law is applicable to any person caught dumping in a public place.
The R2 000 fine applies to anyone who leaves anything in a street or any public place that may be polluting the street or a public place.
