West illegal dumping flaring up again
“When the water is polluted with chemical waste such as oil or cleaning material used in homes, it flows into the Apies River and then into the Bon Accord dam, which supplies tap water to the area."
Residents in Vom Hagen and Zeiler streets, west of Pretoria, are fuming over illegal dumping in the canal this past week.
Local crime activist Eric Cordier said those responsible did not seem to understand the health risk it posed.
“When the water is polluted with chemical waste such as oil or cleaning materials used in homes, it flows into the Apies River and then into the Bon Accord dam, which supplies tap water to the area,” said Cordier.
“This past week, I saw a pile of waste inside the canal of Vom Hagen and Zeiler streets.”
Cordier said the chemicals that come from the pile of waste flowed into the Apies Rivier, which provides water to residents in Hammanskraal.
ALSO READ: West dumping hotspots cleaned
“The waste that is being dumped in the canal comes from businesses in the area and other residents,” said Cordier.
“The canal was once a beautiful place, but that was before the current metro took over. It has since then deteriorated.”
Local resident Shawn Vermeulen said the canal has worsened because people are dumping their waste illegally in the canal. “Homeless people burn their waste inside the canal and then it flows till the lower side of Vom Hagen Street,” he said.
The Tshwane metro police said it has issued fines to residents in Laudium for illegal dumping. Metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said officials started patrolling parts of the west area since Monday. Mahamba said each offender has been fined R2 500.
“It is not clear to how many people were there at the time we arrived,” said Mahamba. “Those who don’t comply will be fined and we are monitoring hotspots areas.”
ALSO READ: Illegal dumping hotspots in the west
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