Residents concerned about smoke from dump site

Residents of Kosmospark and Florapark have raised concerns about the rubbish burnt at the Standerton dump site.

According to them the smoke is unbearable.

Ms Charlien de Klerk, a resident, said they can not open the windows because of it.

She also said they had to close the ventilators and put up rubber seals on the windows to avoid the smoke from getting in.

Laerskool Jeugkrag has also been affected by it.

According to Mr Gert Maritz, principal, he has written two letters to the Lekwa Municipality, but has not gotten any response to date.

“Some pupils experienced respiratory problems from smoke inhalation,” he said.

Mr Johannes van der Wath, DA chairman in Lekwa, has also written letters to the municipality about the maintenance of the dump site.

“I have contacted the municipality about this matter, but nothing has been done and the situation has worsened,” Mr Van der Wath said.

There is a new landfill site behind the existing one, but it has not been used yet.

However, the municipality is excavating the ground and using it to upgrade roads in Sakhile.

According to one of the municipal employees, the scavengers at the dump site are responsible for the illegal fires.

He said the municipality will rehabilitate the existing landfill site next February.They will cover the existing landfill site with 150 millimetres of clay and plant grass on it, a process called capping. This will put an end to the illegal fires and all of the scavengers will be required to move from the dump site.

He also said the municipality must first hand over the new landfill site before anyone can use it.

According to him it is up to council to decide when they will hand over the site.

Mr Sipho Mkwanazi, municipal spokesman, could not comment at the time of going to press.