ILLEGAL dumping on Malacca Road and Ryde Place has been a longstanding issue and despite community initiatives and regular clean-ups, illegal dumping has worsened.

The green belt of forest near the communal ablution blocks has come into sharp focus as more items are being dumped there almost daily.

Illegal dumpers have taken advantage of spaces cleared after clean-ups and dump everything from building rubble to car parts to scrap and garden refuse, all within 50m of a municipal garden refuse centre.

To combat illegal dumping the community of Glen Hills and Glen Anil have taken a proactive approach and have even caught dumpers in the act, forcing them to clean up. Going a step further, the Glen An-Hills Neighbourhood Watch hopes to install an AI camera to help stop and prosecute illegal dumpers.

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Last year, the Watch began a fundraising programme, in the hopes of using technology to aid the fight against crime and even installed their first camera on Glen Anil Street.

Chris Perold, who is part of the community outreach of the Watch, explained that once installed, the camera would help deter illegal dumping.

“Initially our approach was to stand off at our local illegal dumping hotspot as often as possible, educating the offenders and preventing them from dumping. While we did see an improvement short-term, we quickly realised this wasn’t sustainable. Instead we formulated a long-term, sustainable solution. This is where the strategy of using technology-backed AI cameras was born. This would allow us to monitor illegal dumping remotely and provide valuable information to the authorities with the intention of them issuing a fine. We are confident that as word spreads that this illegal dumping hotspot is being monitored, the repeat offenders will be forced to desist,” he said.

“On a positive side the articles published in the Northglen News about our efforts to curb illegal dumping and the neigbourhood watch’s community awareness campaigns have made a huge difference in regards to residents reporting these incidents. In that sense there has been an improvement in terms of community-based organisations and the municipality cleaning the Malacca Road and Ryde Place intersection, however, the newly cleaned area just creates more space for offenders to illegally dump.”

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Perold said there has been a case where an illegal dumper, who was caught in the act, was forced to clean up the mess.

He also touched on those responsible for dumping in the area.

“For the most part it is residents and business owners from Durban North. Unfortunately, some of them think they are doing a philanthropic deed by dropping off unwanted building materials at the Malacca Informal Settlement. We want the public to know that this is directly contributing to new shacks being built. There are also a few residents of the informal settlement that are encouraging illegal dumping as a means to generate an income and gather building materials to build more informal dwellings,” he said.

If you would like to get involved with the Watch or contribute to its camera project, contact them on Facebook under Glen An-Hills Neighbourhood Watch.

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