Illegal dumping nightmare in Magalieskruin

Residents are fed up with illegal dumping near the Magalieskruin Garden Refuse Transfer Station.

January 8, 2015

Elaine Strauss 1 minute read

Daan van Jaarsveld, Johan Oberholster, Trevor Jackson, Gideon Taylor, Gerrit Pretorius and Rudi Kamstra are all concerned about the illegal dumping that is happening in Magalieskruin.

Several Magalieskruin residents are fed up with illegal dumping that has been taking place at Tshwane’s Garden refuse transfer station in Koorsboom Street, near Sefako Makgatho Drive (Zambesi).

According to Daan van Jaarsveld, instead of adhering to the regulations and times, stating that the transfer station is for garden refuse only, people are illegally dumping household waste, just outside the transfer station’s gates.

“We have problems with rats and flies and the stench is unbearable,” Van Jaarsveld said. “Do not think you can confront these illegal dumpers, they swear at you and threaten with violence. They even dump their waste in broad daylight.”

Johan Oberholster, who lives nearby, has also been threatened by one of the illegal dumpers. “When I confronted them, they threatened to throw rocks at me,” he said.

Another resident and caretaker of a security complex near the dumpsite, Gideon Taylor, said he has been bombarded by complaints of residents in the complex. “At this point, the illegal dumping poses a serious health risk for people in the area, due to all the rats, flies and rotting garbage and I get daily complaints of the stench,” Taylor said.

According to these residents, even Tshwane metro workers at the transfer station are being intimidated and threatened by people dumping illegally. “It is a nightmare and we do not know where to turn to resolve the problem,” a frustrated Van Jaarsveld said.

According to the DA councillor of the area, Arnold van Niekerk, the biggest problem at the dumpsite is residents who dump there. “We have received several names which we have given through to the metro police, but a big part of the dumping has already been removed by the metro,” he said.

“To get extra trucks to clean up the garbage costs a lot of tax payers’ money, so we ask people not to dump illegally, but rather drive to Onderstepoort transfer station.”

The metro was not available for comment immediately.