Fines to be issued

POLOKWANE – The dry winter season makes the danger of runaway fires a reality and residents are complaining about the illegal burning of rubbish and garden refuse in the city.

Residents of Bella Vista Old Age Home and Care Centre on the corner of Marshall and Church Street, say they struggled to breathe on Monday when wood and tar poles were burned in the open piece of land near Bella Vista.

Motorists say they had a hard time to see the road in Market Street when the piece of land next to the Game Shopping Centre caught fire on Monday afternoon.

Patricia Lehodi says she always catches a taxi to work from the Game Centre Terminal, but had to find another way to get to work, because she could not breathe in the thick smoke that hung over the area.

Jackie Ledwaba, a taxi driver, says he had other motorists swearing at him, because he was forced to park in the road, away from the terminal to pick up passengers. “I had to stop there, because I would have lost customers due to the heavy smoke that hung over the taxi terminal and the road.”

Business owners who opperate in the industrial areas of the city say their biggest headache is dealing with incidents where people burn rubble and copper wiring to seperate plastic from metal refuse in the area. They say this practice often leads to runaway fires or smoke pollution.

Municipal spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo, says the municipal bylaws prohibit people from burning any refuse in the municipal area.

He says residents are strongly urged to make use of the municipal facilities, like the dumping site on the Lebowakgomo road, to get rid of any rubbish or refuse.

“Residents found guilty of illegal burning can be fined by the municipality up to R1 000.

“Illegal burning puts other residents and properties at risk as fires can blow out of control, damaging surrounding buildings, ground and unsuspecting people or children,” Mothapo said.

Illegal burning can be reported to the Polokwane Municipality at (015) 290 2000.