Centurion dumping site is an eyesore – residents
Ward councillor Cindy Bilson says 20 families have settled at the dumping site.
A large dumping and recycling site on the corner of Wierda Road and the Old Johannesburg Road has become an eyesore for residents who have to drive past it daily.
Residents are also concerned about the environmental hazard this dump poses to the surrounding rivers, especially the Hennops River, which is already heavily polluted.
In addition, there have been reports of people squatting illegally in and around the rubbish dump causing further consternation among the people of Centurion, with some claiming it has become a den for drug dealing and other illegal activities.
Ward councillor Cindy Bilson said 20 families had settled near the dumping site.
“The main problem is that Centurion has only four recycling spots, which is way too few for an area of its size,” she said.
Another troubling issue is that the area is not municipal land but belongs to the province, so the metro can’t take any action.
One of the people staying at the dumpsite, who spoke to Rekord on condition of anonymity for fear of intimidation, said he was willing to work with the metro to find an alternative place for his community to live.
“We don’t want to be here either, but we don’t have a choice,” he said.
Bilson said space was made available in Sutherland for the squatters.
She said the only way forward was for the government to intervene with a plan so they can work together on a solution.
No comment had been received from the metro at the time of publication.
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