Farmers demand a stop to illegal dumping on R538
The residents erected signs to warn people not to dump garbage, but they are being ignored.
Plantation farmers on the R538 outside town are pleading with people to stop illegal dumping next to their properties.
One of the farmers, Gerald du Toit, said this had been occurring for some time. He cleaned up the area on several occasions as he felt reporting the matter to the municipality led nowhere. “It has come to our attention that people from the nearest villages are using the area to dump all sorts of rubbish, especially those who use the road on daily basis. The garbage is a threat to the environment and to tourism. We keep clearing up, but people return and they go unpunished,” he said.
He also said residents erected signs to warn people not to dump garbage, but they are ignoring it. “I have tried to get people to guard the area, but they were attacked. I had to step back hoping that the municipality would do something, but it seems like they are also failing. We appreciate that the municipality sometimes comes and cleans up the area, but they need to put a stop to it. The dumping must stop, because it is not good for our plantation, and the fact that the road is also used by tourists who visit the Kruger National Park using Numbi Gate, gives a bad image of our tourism sector,” Du Toit said.
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The CoM spokesperson, Joseph Ngala, said they are aware of the illegal dumping in the area. Officials will be deployed to collect the garbage. He also condemned the illegal dumping in all communities within the City.
“Illegal dumping is absolutely unacceptable, and according to the municipal by-laws, perpetrators could even face jail time for the offence. People must always use the municipal-designated areas to dump their garbage,” he said.
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