Thousands of east of Pretoria residents are still waiting for answers after submitting a petition calling for urgent intervention at the decommissioned Garstkloof landfill site.

However, the Tshwane Metro’s Speaker’s Office says it cannot find any record of the petition, despite community leaders insisting it was first submitted in November 2025.

The petition, driven by members of the Lyttelton Sector 4 Community Policing Forum (LS4 CPF), calls on the metro to secure and rehabilitate the decommissioned Garstkloof Landfill Site and the adjacent Erf 595, formerly used as school grounds.

Rekord has seen a copy of the petition, which was resubmitted to the metro in May this year and bears more than 3 000 signatures from residents of Moreleta Park, Elarduspark, and Wingate Park.

The petition reflects widespread community concern over escalating crime, illegal occupation, environmental degradation, and public safety risks in and around the landfill site.

Residents allege the disused landfill, together with the adjoining Garstkloof Nature Reserve and Erf 595, has become a haven for criminal activity, land invasions, and illegal dumping, posing a growing threat to neighbouring communities.

LS4 CPF spokesperson Shawn Fouche said residents have received no acknowledgement or formal response from the city’s Petitions Board despite repeated follow-ups.

“The petition was first submitted in November 2025 and, despite the significant time that has elapsed, we have received no acknowledgement, feedback or formal correspondence from the Petitions Board,” said Fouche.

“Our ward councillor has advised that she has followed up on numerous occasions, yet no progress or response has been forthcoming.”

Fouche said the continued silence from the city is unacceptable given the seriousness of the concerns raised.

“This matter has now reached a point where the community demands a formal response. The continued lack of communication is unacceptable, particularly given that this petition relates directly to the safety, security and wellbeing of thousands of residents.”

The petition highlights several concerns, including the increase in crime associated with the Garstkloof landfill site and adjacent Erf 595, and unlawful activities on city-owned land.

Also raised were illegal dumping and environmental pollution, which have lead to serious health and safety risks to surrounding communities.

The community also raised the need to rehabilitate and repurpose the area into a safe community asset, including the need to secure the area properly.

However, Vanessa De Sousa from the Office of the Speaker said officials had been unable to locate the petition.

“We can’t find this petition on record,” De Sousa said.

Rekord has also seen email correspondence indicating that Ward 47 councillor Lida Erasmus resubmitted the petition to the metro on February 19, 2026 at 15:06. The petition was emailed to a metro employee, with Erasmus requesting that it be formally acknowledged and placed before the relevant committee.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the petition, the Tshwane metro said measures are already in place to improve security and rehabilitate the site.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said, “The landfill site is allocated security both day and night to safeguard the facility. In terms of improving access control measures, the city will mobilise a budget allocation to address the shortcomings.”

Addressing concerns over illegal occupation and criminal activity, Mashigo said the city has established dedicated structures to deal with land invasions.

“The city has established Law Enforcement and Land Invasion Committees to address the issues of illegal occupants and land invasion citywide.

“Furthermore, all other criminal activities taking place around the facility are being monitored by SAPS, the CPF and the City of Tshwane’s TMPD branch, which forms part of the committee.

“The Garstkloof landfill site is currently undergoing rehabilitation and is awaiting the finalisation and issuing of a closure permit by the relevant regulatory authorities. A long-term environmental management plan will be approved as part of the closure permit conditions and will be implemented once the permit is approved and issued,” he said.

LS4 CPF has called on the city to urgently clarify the status of the petition, provide a formal update on any investigations undertaken, outline a clear action plan with implementation timelines and engage directly with affected communities on the future of the site.

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