North school a dumpsite for residents
The spot was cleaned up and barricaded with bricks, but the culprits simply moved to another point.
A school pavement in Soshanguve has been turned into a foul pile of pollution by unscrupulous dumpers.
The sidewalk outside Boepathutse Junior Secondary School in Soshanguve Block F is being used as an illegal waste site.
Deputy principal Daniel Monama said this had rendered the pavement unfit for use by pedestrians – exposing them to the traffic.
A pile of rubble, rocks, bags of rubbish and old discarded ceilings made an ugly picture right outside the school’s yard.
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Monama said all attempts to remove the unsightly waste outside the school had been failing for the past two years.
“We have been engaging local ward councillors on the problem,” he said.
“They have promised to bring a waste container but nothing has been done.”
He said the matter only got worse in the past two years as residents had no qualms about dumping their waste on the pavement.
Some even did so close to the school gate.
“We cleaned up the spot and put up a barricade with bricks, but the culprits simply moved to another point,” he said.
“It is difficult because most of the time when they dump, we are not around. Someone can just decide that I have a home improvement project and I am going throw away waste by Boepathutse,’’ said Monama.
Tshwane North department of education district director Shirley Molobi said the matter was outside her jurisdiction.
“Unfortunately we have no powers. It is a local government issue, for the ward councillor and the municipality. We are very much concerned,” said Molobi.
“Under the previous administration, we made a submission to get an intervention from the metro. They have since withdrawn from assisting.”
This was a general problem around schools in Soshanguve, said Monama.
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The school governing body (SGB) had now appointed a community member who would assist with reducing the waste.
SGB chairperson Mathibedi Rakgabo said all the school was asking for was for the metro to intervene.
“The municipality should supply us with waste containers. We really need their help. Whichever way they can assist because we have tried on our side.”
Representative council of learners chairperson Rorisang Malesa (16) said the children often took it upon themselves to clean some of the waste.
“Some residents immediately burn their waste after they throw it away outside our school,” said Malesa.
“You would sometimes find other learners playing football and the waste would just get blown by the wind and end up on the playground.”
Ward 33 councillor Isaac Aphane said the metro could not swiftly attend to illegal dumping sites because of a lack of resources.
“We held a meeting with the municipality in Akasia and ward councillors from Mabopane, Ga-Rankuwa and Soshanguve and we were told that there is only one TLB machine operating in Soshanguve.”
He said he suggested that the municipality hire subcontractors.
“There are many residents who own equipment needed to clean waste dumping sites.”
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Some locals were quite forthcoming about dumping waste at the school.
Block F resident, Gontse Ngoasheng said: “I do dump waste outside the school sometimes because the waste collectors only come once a week.”
Once a week was not enough to keep waste bins empty, he said.
“By the time they return, our waste bins are full.”
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo has not responded immediately to requests for comment.
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