POLOKWANE – The dumping of refuse, gardening debris and building rubble on pavements and in open spaces in the city by some residents has become a huge problem for others.
“It has been over six months and heaps of rubble in Devenish Street have yet to be cleared.
“Municipal workers clear the household trash regularly but ignore the truckload of debris that remains on the pavements,” Chandra Rabé, a resident, said.
Another resident, Michael Kumar who owns a refuse recycling company, also complained, and said it was difficult to negotiate the pavement when there was debris everywhere.
He said his employees were often forced to walk in the road because of the rubble, and this was dangerous for them.
Several residents also said they had complained to the municipality to no avail.
According to one resident, the municipality itself is also guilty of illegal dumping.
Municipal spokesperson Malesela Maubane said rubble was usually removed immediately after the area had been attended to, but that whoever had left the debris or rubble there, such as municipal road maintenance teams or contractors, were responsible for its removal.
He said after the issue of rubble on the corner of Jorissen and Hans van Rensburg Street had been raised by the media, the rubble had been removed.
He urged residents to report such matters to the municipality.
Roads maintenance matters can be reported to (015) 290 2373 or (015) 290 2095.
Maubane further said anyone caught illegally dumping refuse could be liable to pay a fine of up to R1 200. Illegal dumping can be reported to the waste management unit at (015) 290 2532/2543/2366/2367.
