Task team established to combat illegal waste sorting by trolley pushers
Residents recently raised concerns about waste pickers leaving public places messy and disrupting traffic with their trolleys.
The Tshwane metro has established a multi-departmental task team to combat illegal waste sorting and dumping across the seven regions.
The Metro Police Department (TMPD) and by-law enforcement officials will form a team that will regularly patrol the hotspots.
Residents recently called for an urgent intervention as waste pickers allegedly lead to the unsightly and potentially hazardous proliferation of informal waste sorting sites throughout the city.
Waste pickers and trolley pushers have become a source of great frustration and concern for residents due to littering and the refuse bin diving that leaves a mess. Their trolley-pushing is blamed for disrupting traffic.
The waste pickers are many unemployed young women and men, fathers and mothers, who scavenge at dumping site and public bins to salvage items to sell to earn an income to feed their families.
“However the manner in which they leave public places messy, disrupting traffic with their trolleys fuelled residents to call for an intervention,” said local Deirdre van Helsdingen.
“Waste pickers scratch in our bins and remove plastics from tins and glass, then leave the mess behind.”
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the city has embarked on a process of identifying vacant plots where it could establish waste sorting conducted in an environmentally friendly manner.
“The Environment and Agriculture Department in collaboration with the Tshwane Metro Police Department will continue to enforce the waste by-law by fining offenders and illegal dumping perpetrators.”
Mashigo said the by-law is under review to discourage waste sorting or recycling activities in unauthorised areas.
“Additionally, the Tshwane Metro Police Department has established a unit to enforce compliance with all the by-laws in the city,” he said.
Mashigo said the Environment and Agriculture Department has launched the Rekaofela Campaign to promote community involvement in the eradication of illegal dumping, use of waste receptacles approved by the city and maintaining a clean environment.
“The Environment and Agriculture Department in collaboration with the Tshwane Metro Police Department ensures the enforcement of the waste by-law by issuing fines to illegal dumping perpetrators, as well as recycling activities in unauthorised areas or spots.”
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