MEC Ewan Botha takes action against illegal landfill in Kya Sands
Residents' cry for help has been heard as the Gauteng Department of Environment MEC, Ewan Botha, leads an operation at the Kya Sands illegal landfills.
Gauteng MEC for the Department of Environment (GDEnv), Ewan Botha, led a multi-stakeholder joint operation in Kya Sands that resulted in the closure of illegal recycling operations, the arrest of undocumented individuals, and the disruption of ongoing environmental crimes threatening nearby communities.
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The operation followed direct appeals from affected residents who reached out to the MEC through social media and email, raising urgent concerns about air pollution, illegal dumping, and the burning of waste in and around their neighbourhood.
The first site visited revealed active burning at an illegal landfill, with perpetrators fleeing as the team arrived. At the second site, conditions had deteriorated since the initial reports, and recyclers continued operating illegally in plain sight. Two unlicensed recycling facilities were immediately shut down for operating without environmental authorisation, and two undocumented individuals were arrested, with several others fleeing the scene.
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Key collaborators included the City of Johannesburg, Douglasdale SAPS (Vispol), Pikitup, JMPD, City of Joburg By-Law Enforcement Division, and the City’s Waste Management Division.
Botha commended the unity of purpose demonstrated by all partners and emphasised that the results mark only the beginning of a sustained provincial drive against environmental crime. “The fight is on. We now know first-hand what we are dealing with – and I’m up for it. I hope you are all ready for this battle,” said Botha. “We cannot lose. For the sake of the residents and our province, we cannot lose.”
Addressing residents, the MEC reaffirmed his personal commitment to leading from the front in addressing the long-standing environmental and health risks in Kya Sands.
“Residents asked for someone to take the bull by the horns – and that’s exactly what we’re doing. I will be at the forefront of this fight, but I also call on communities to stand with us and reclaim their neighbourhoods.”
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