Contractor to return to sites

LYDENBURG – The current nightmare of the three dumping sites in Thaba Chweu Muniscipality (TCM) might be over soon.

According to acting municipal manager, Mr Godfrey Nkosi, TCM has recalled Eco Maré Consortium to assist with the disastrous sites. “We met with Eco Maré in December last year and we will pay the outstanding amount owed to them and come back to manage the sites.”

Nkosi said TCM made the decision themselves to bring the company back. “They are professionals. We even cancelled the previous contractor’s contract because they were not delivering.”

Last week Steelburger/Lydenburg News reported on the nightmare situation facing these dumpsites.

AfriForum also recently issued a report to the Ehlanzeni District Municipality on the present situation of the municipal dumpsites of TCM.

According to Mr Leon de Jager, chairperson of AfriForum in Lydenburg, the intention of the report is to bring attention to the total collapse of refuse management within the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality.

The report also made reference to the fact that TCM does not have the capacity in terms of the regular collection of refuse, especially in the townships of Mashishing and Skila there is a huge backlog and piles of uncollected garbage can be seen all across these townships.

In reaction, Nkosi said that TCM has no obtained proper trucks for the disposal of refuse. “We can’t remove with open trucks. Rubbish flies off and bags fall off. Thus we have obtained the closed compressor trucks.”

Nkosi also said that TCM is excelling in service delivery. “Some 78 EPWP workers will be working once a week either to fix potholes, doing road marks and cleaning the parks and streets. The quality of water will also be improved. Testing will be done next week to ensure the quality of water is up to standard. Road infrastructure will also take place and roads will be upgraded.”

He also told the newspaper that TCM is planning an alternative route for heavy vehicles traveling through town. “Unless it is for delivery purposes, these vehicles will not be allowed in the CBD.”

Mr Robert Collins of Eco Maré visited the said dumpsites last week for assessment. “We are waiting for payment. As soon as a payment has been made, we should again be operational at the end of January. The sites are in a terrible state. It is much worse before we were first operational at the sites in 2011. There is a bulldozer piling up the refuse creating a wall which traps water. It seems that they are unaware of the extend of damage they are causing.”

He said that it would take the company more than a month to undo the damage. “We are just worried about payment should history repeat itself. Then again, we will have no choice but to vacate the sites.”