Waste piles up behind businesses in Secunda CBD
Businesses need to take responsibility for managing their waste.
SECUNDA – The Ridge Times received various complaints from local business owners about the state of the Secunda Central Business District and that refuse was piling up behind their businesses.
The Govan Mbeki Municipality responded on Friday, 10 February with the following comment:
“The comments that Govan Mbeki Municipality does not clean at the Secunda Central Business District, in particular the area behind a local furniture store and a bank, is not true.
“This area was cleaned many times by the municipality’s Solid Waste Management.
“Letters were handed out to businesses, asking them to keep the area clean and maintain it.”
According to the municipality, the problem was communicated to the municipal Law Enforcement Section and they are now monitoring the area to see if they can apprehend the people who are littering and illegally dumping refuse in the CBD.
“This area was cleaned twice in August and October last year and again in December.
“According to the Solid Waste Management Act, it clearly stipulates that the generators of waste, in this case all shops using this area, are responsible for such an area and must take care to clean and contain all refuse generated by them up until it is removed by the municipality.”
The owners must take preventative measures to ensure access to the area is restricted and controlled to keep scavengers out.
“It is recommended that business owners discuss this problem and arrange that a gate is installed, all other openings are closed and the entrance to this area are controlled by them.”
The municipality further confirmed this matter was also made clear to business owners a year ago.
“We released similar information about the business owners’ responsibilities in February last year.”
Furthermore, the municipality confirmed the entire area was cleaned on 10 February.
The municipality urged local businesses to comply with the relevant Waste Management By-Laws:
• Refuse must be kept neat and stored in black rubbish bags;
• Refuse must be placed in an approved container or receptacle;
• Refuse must only be put out on the day of the removal by the municipality on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
