eMBALENHLE – Concerned residents are calling on Govan Mbeki Municipality to enforce by-laws on littering and illegal dumping of garbage in the area.
Almost every street in the area has an illegal dumping site.
The residents have raised their concerns over the increase of the unbecoming culture of littering and dumping garbage next to the roads. Locals often dump old household items, construction waste, and other waste at non-designated dumping sites.
This trend is on the rise and will soon cause health hazards to the residents.
Motorists are often seen throwing rubbish out of their car windows. Almost every section in the area has an illegal dumping site with a bad stench.
The stench is believed to be the result of animal carcasses that are dumped at these illegal dumping sites.
Mr Themba Mbonani, a resident, suggested that the municipality should enforce strict by-laws.
“Littering and the illegal dumping of garbage not only make our township filthy, but also pose health hazards to all of us.
“Residents must take responsibility.
“The municipality must also improve their waste collection to ensure that it does not happen.”
Motorists complained about the unbearable stench on the Bracken Road between Evander and eMbalenhle due to the illegal dumping site near the Brenden Village turn-off.
The site is spreading throughout the area as people are daily dumping refuse.
Animal carcasses, household rubbish and garden waste, household goods such as televisions, mattresses and furniture, building waste, tyres, chemical drums and paint tins are among the items that are dumped.
The Govan Mbeki Municipality issued a press statement regarding the matter and condemned littering and illegal dumping.
The council stated that by littering or illegal dumping, the person is failing to take ownership and responsibility of the waste they generate and conveniently shift the responsibility to the municipality.
“The main function of the municipality is to render an integrated waste management service, whereby we encourage waste minimisation at the source, collect containerised waste, transport and dispose of waste at licensed landfill sites.
“By rendering unnecessary additional services such as picking up litter and cleaning illegal dumps, the operational cost of refuse removal escalates.”
The municipality said in an attempt to combat littering and illegal dumping, they have placed numerous campaigns in place.
All businesses and residential stands will get a weekly refuse removal service.
Litter picking will be done daily in the central business areas, access roads and, public open spaces. Regular clean-up campaigns are held to remove illegal dumped waste from street corners and public open spaces.
“Unfortunately, these attempts seem not to be effective, as the community does not pay attention to our requests and efforts to keep the towns clean, litter bins and notice boards are vandalised, burned or stolen and waste is still illegally dumped.
“The state of our environment is therefore greatly dependent on the attitude and behaviour of the community, which will only change once everyone realises their responsibility towards it.”
The municipality urged the community to report illegal dumpers. The law enforcement unit can be contacted at 017 620 6335, or complaints can be reported at 080 060 0001/2/4.
