Illegal dumping sites keep popping up

Despite the local municipality’s efforts to get a grip on illegal dumping sites in Ikageng, a resident has complained that another major one is developing opposite his house on Triomf Road. “Everyone is now dumping their waste here, and the dumping site is growing by the day,” he lamented.

Mothusi Ganyani has lived in the area for almost 20 years. He says he is concerned about the rapid growth of the dumping site opposite his house. “This isn’t healthy, and we are getting sick,” Ganyani explained. He says some people are too lazy to take their garbage to the official dumping sites. “We can’t blame the municipality when we are the ones who refuse to cooperate,” he lamented. “A large part of our society does not care about the illegal dumping problem and its consequences,” the 47-year-old added.

Ganyani says he wishes people would be encouraged to recycle waste or follow the proper waste disposal channels.
“For the past few days, I have noticed that many illegal dumping sites in Ikageng have been cleared The municipality is trying. I wish the community would cooperate,” he said.

According to Jeanette Tshite, the acting communication manager of the municipality, the community should dump their waste in officially- designated areas with properly integrated waste management systems. The green waste transfer station in Jeppe Street in Potch- industria is one of the areas where residents can lawfully dump their waste. However, there are rules; Only the garden refuse of residents within the jurisdiction of the J.B. Marks Local Municipality can be accepted.

Only branches and stumps that are a maximum of one metre in length and 10 cm in diameter may be dumped.
All waste must be thrown into a container indicated by the caretaker and not on the off-load surface or outside the site. No household refuse, animal carcasses, scrap iron, stones, building rubble, industrial refuse, refuse from outside the municipal jurisdiction, garden services, etc. may be dumped. No vehicles with a payload exceeding 1,000 kg (1 tonne) will be allowed.
No dangerous weapons or swearing will be allowed on the site.
“Anyone who does not abide by the above will be held accountable,” Tshite said.
The site is open from 08:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays and public holidays, the hours are from 09:00 to 13:00.