Residents making use of the landfill site in Menlo Park are facing a health risk as the Tshwane metro is failing to keep it clean.
Councillor of ward 82, Siobhan Muller, said a heap of rotting garbage has grown into a monstrosity of about 5m high and 15m in length. Only parts of it had been removed the past three months.
“To add to the unhygienic circumstances, there is a leaking water pipe on site which had been reported, but after three weeks still had not been repaired,” Muller said.
“The water is adding to the rotting garden waste and rate payers are paying for the lost water.”
She said the site had not been properly cleared since the beginning of June because of a strike by truck drivers who had not been paid overtime.
Only a few truckloads of the huge pile had been removed since the strike had apparently ended.
“When I went to investigate, I was informed there was only one truck that drove between the Menlo Park dumping site and the main dump site in Mamelodi during the day. When I asked when the driver would return for the next load, I was told early in the afternoon that he had already finished for the day,” she said.
“This disgusting mass of rotting garden refuse needs to be dealt with immediately.”
She said municipal workers at the site had to endure this health hazard every day.
“Rats and snakes infest garden refuse and with spring rains on the way, this problem could soon get out of hand,” she explained.
Muller said residents in the area are next to become victims of this lack of service delivery by Tshwane metro, as rats and snakes could possibly move into their gardens and homes. “Once the rains arrive the situation can only deteriorate,” she added.
“Talking about service delivery is worth nothing while situations like these continue to plague the city.”
At the time of going to press, the Tshwane metro had failed to comment.
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