No dump site for Glen Austin residents for the past five years now

A Glen Austin resident, Gerhard Schutte has revealed that the Dale Road dumping site has been closed for about five years now, without an alternative site provided. Schutte alleges that as a result Glen Austin, President Park and surrounding suburbs have seen an increase in illegal dumping, to the his frustration.

This comes after Pikitup’s spokesperson Muzi Mkhwanazi listed dumping sites for residents to dispose of their garbage in an article No refuse removed?, [Week ending 23 September]. Mkhwanazi mentioned the following sites: Falcon, Spreeu, Cedar, Dale, Strandloper and Tuinfluister Garden Sites.

However, Schutte who has been a resident for about 16 years now, said the Dale Road dumping was the only site near for residents in Glen Austin before its 2017 closure. He said Falcon, Spreeu streets and Tuinfluister dumping sites were all in Rabie Ridge and not far from each other. “There is none in Midrand. There is no dump site on the west and east side of the N1 [highway]. Why does Rabie Ridge have three dump sites? And they are all within a 1km radius.”

He further claimed that after asking the waste entity to reopen the Dale Road site through various ward councillors, their requests fell on deaf ears and were also affected by changes of councillors in the recent municipal elections.
“The Dale Road dump site was closed about five years ago. Illegal dumping has increased since the site was closed and has actually increased the burden on Pikitup to contain and clean the illegal dumping that occurs around President Park, Glen Austin and other areas in Midrand.”

When asked for a comment, Mkhwanazi said, “The mentioning of the Dale Road Site Garden site was an honest oversight and it is indeed true that the site was closed.

“Pikitup was using the site but did not own it. The site was owned by a private company which later demanded its land back from Pikitup and that resulted in the closure of the site. Indeed, according to the depot servicing the areas, there is a noticeable increase in illegal dumping.”

He said curbing of illegal dumping was the function of Johannesburg Metro Police Department and insufficient by-law enforcement will inadvertently lead to an increases in illegal dumping spots.

JMPD spokesperson Officer Xolani Fihla said they have received numerous complaints of illegal dumping from the residents, which their officers have acted upon.

“The fines for illegal dumping range from R1 500 to R5 000. The R1 500 fine falls under Public Open Spaces By-laws and the R 5 000 fine falls under the Waste Management By-laws. Unfortunately, we cannot arrest perpetrators for contravening these by-laws, we can only issue fines.”

He said illegal dumping was a serious concern.

Fihla added that by-laws were not stiff enough, and feels they can be made tougher, “Because some people pay the fine, but will keep on transgressing knowing that that they will pay the fine and continue with their daily operation of illegal dumping. [And] that’s why the department would want the by-laws to be amended so officers would be able to impound the vehicles used in illegal dumping which will send a strong message to perpetrators – if you dump you will have to pay a fine and also pay an impoundment fee to have your vehicle back.”

Fihla concluded that these illegal dumpers use unregistered vehicles and it’s difficult to trace them.

Ward 92 councillor Charmaine Ngoepe said, “Is is not fair that residents do not have a dump site. The Dale site was closed in 2017 and its land was a earmarked for another project. I will follow up with the city so that this issue can be quickly resolved because its been long overdue and the increase of illegal dumping might soon spiral out of control.”

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