LYDENBURG – The refuse site on the outskirts of town seems to be a looming health disaster.
The newspaper was informed that, despite the fact that numerous articles had been published about the state of the site and a visit by Carte Blanche recently, nothing had been done yet to rectify the situation.
The entire entrance to the site is almost completely covered in rubble, waste and refuse. There seems to be no control over the dumping of refuse and residents have now started to dump on the outside of the site.
Steelburger/Lydenburg News was also astounded to learn from the scavengers that there were no municipal employees to manage the dumping of waste.Apart from no management at the site it was obvious that there was no TLB or any other machinery available to compact the piling refuse.
In March the DA even laid a criminal charge against TCM for its refusal and failure to correctly dispose of waste at this landfill site.
The charges were laid in accordance with Sections 26 and 67 of the National Environmental Management Act: Waste (Lydenburg SAPS case number 109/3/2014.
DA Cllr Farhad Essack said that the burning landfill sites were causing potential health risks to tourists and residents along the popular Panorama tourist route. “This issue has been raised on many occasions at council level and also with the mayoral committee.
The business chamber has also discussed this with the municipality in its meetings with the technical task team established to assist with the various technical issues surrounding TCM’s failure to carry out basic services and its lack of basic service delivery.”
Essack said that Eco-Maré, the company contracted to maintain the site, had not paid in terms of the commitment made by TCM and had ceased its operations for some time now. “TCM hired a private contractor to supply a TLB to move refuse but they were not qualified to conduct the maintenance and upkeep in terms of refuse management resulting in further fruitless and wasteful expenditure of taxpayers’ moneys.”
Essack maintained there was no willingness or commitment by the technical staff of TCM to address this impending disaster.
“The refuse site is now overflowing with refuse and rubble with access to the site being blocked resulting in refuse being dumped outside of the dumping grounds before the railway line. This is in contravention of the Environmental Waste Management Act. The stench has become unbearable.
This scenario further depicts the results of cadre deployment within the ANC-led administration who has no commitment in adhering to the basic laws governing issues such as environmental laws and the Act. The DA has laid charges at SAPS but to no avail.”
He said the time had now come where dedicated and qualified personnel had to be employed at this administration as a matter of urgency.
“The mayor Michael Ncongwane and his infamous MMC for technical and finance MsMakosazana Masilela should lead by example and step down, allowing individuals who are qualified and who have the will and commitment, to lead this now defunct administration.”
The newspaper sent through queries regarding the situation at the landfill site to TCM for comment on the matter. Yet again, TCM failed to respond. It is still not certain if or even when this issue will be addressed and the situation attended to.
