City of Joburg allocates funds for the Kya Sand landfill site

Ward 134 councillor Devon Steenkamp has confirmed that the City of Johannesburg has allocated R140m in the Integrated Development Plan budget for 2025/26 to rehabilitate the Kya Sand landfill site.

The site has been severely impacted by years of illegal dumping and environmental degradation. This has affected residents in most parts of Randburg and Fourways, due to the suffocating grip of smog caused by the burning of waste at the site.

Read more: Kya Sands businesses struggle after nearly two months without water

According to Steenkamp, the city intends to appoint a service provider based on the tender that was put out in April this year, to kick-start comprehensive rehabilitation work. “The rehabilitation process has been complicated by criminal syndicates that have taken control of the illegal dumping operations,” he said. “In response, a Grade A security tender was issued to secure the area and prevent further dumping around the landfill site, including provision for armed guards and perimeter enforcement.”
This will include the removal of illegally dumped waste and preparation for a waste transfer station.

“We also all have concerns about dangerously high levels of pollution. We have been informed that air quality monitoring will proceed in June and July.”
He added that all key components, including security, rehabilitation work, and monitoring systems, were expected to be in place by the second week of July.
“The fight is far from over. While this is a long-awaited breakthrough, we must now watch carefully that these funds are spent appropriately, without further delays or mismanagement.”

Steenkamp added that there were other illegal dumping hotspots around Kya Sand, including on private land, and these sites were not covered by the current rehabilitation project.
“We urgently require intervention by the city with community support to pressure landowners and municipal departments to enforce compliance, close down unauthorised operations, and prevent further environmental degradation. The residents of Kya Sand and neighbouring communities have lived under unacceptable environmental conditions for far too long.”
Keith Elliott, a volunteer director of the Kya Sand Burning Wasteland Burning Community Forum, confirmed that they were grateful for the action that had been taken.
The forum was established to combat illegal dumping and burning of solid waste in Kya Sand and the surrounding areas.

“We noted that a trench had been dug across the illegal entrance to the decommissioned Kya Sand landfill site. However, we were not consulted or included in a series of meetings and site visits. It is extremely disappointing as we believe that we are an important stakeholder, and that we could have contributed to the decision-making.”
He added that this site was not the only illegal dumping and burning location; at least three other sites were still active. “This initial site has spawned other sites, which are located nearby, and continue to operate and pollute the environment.”

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