Chairperson attacked at dumping site
Do not dump your rubbish at the site in Mamelodi, warned the chairperson of the Waterkloof homeowners association after her trailer had been attacked by ten men.
A trip to a dumping site in Mamelodi almost ended in tragedy when the chairperson of the homeowner’s association of Waterkloof‘s trailer was attacked by a bunch of scavengers causing thousand of rands in damages.
“I have been lecturing in Mamelodi for six years and never feared for me live, but after this attack I would never go near this suburb again,” the chairperson, who would like to remain anonymous, said.
The chairperson said she and her gardener went to the Mamelodi dumping site last Wednesday afternoon to drop several unwanted household items.
“While entering the site, about 10 men jumped on my trailer while I was travelling at about 20 km/hour. They ripped of the trailer lid, throwing it onto the road and attacking my vehicle, causing thousands of rands in damages. I did not know what they really planned to do.”
She said the gardener who accompanied her had quite a fright. “He was as white as a ghost and he told me he would never go with me again.”
The woman said she stopped and told the scavengers to replace the trailer lid. “These men were extremely aggressive and grabbed everything out of the trailer. Guards stood at the entrance to the dumping site, but they did nothing to assist me. A female came to my rescue, screaming at the scavengers. They then backed off.”
Residents living in the in the east of Pretoria do not have easy access to a dumping site and have to use the Mamelodi one.
This problem has become an epitome of the “don’t care attitude” of Tshwane metro, said Bronwynn Engelbrecht, Democratic Alliance councillor for Ward 42.
Rekord had reported about this “stinky” problem a number of times, but to no avail, as nothing has been done to resolve it.
The dumping problem has now escalated with many residents too fearful to go to Mamelodi and out of desperation have now started taking shortcuts by dumping at open spaces around the east.
“But some residents, like the chairperson, tried to do right thing by putting their own lives in danger,” said Engelbrecht.
The chairperson added: “It is not safe to go there anymore. Be vigilant.”
Engelbrecht said she has for several months been requesting large Wastech containers to be strategically placed in ward 42, to assist residents with this dumping crisis. “I have repeatedly requested containers as very few residents have the time to go all the way to Mamelodi, but my requests have been met with silence.”
The chairperson did not lay a complaint at the police station. “The guards did nothing – why would the police care?”
Rekord has sent an inquiry to Tshwane metro, but the council did not respond immediately.
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