The township’s dilemma of illegal dumping was brought to the forefront after a visit from the DA’s PR councillor, Ms Sithi Silosini, on Wednesday, 16 October.
The Standerton Advertiser highlighted the conditions at the dumping site on the Secunda Road as far back as January.
Ms Silosini got involved then and wrote to the assistant-director of Criminal Investigations at the Directorate Enforcement: Environmental Impact and Pollution, Mr Ryno Serfontein, on 2 October about the township.
She emphasised the party’s concern about illegal dumping, lack of waste disposal control, waste in the township with livestock roaming freely and how lives of children and the community, as well as animals, are affected.
The newspaper is in possession of various photos and a video, depicting the conditions in various areas and the issue of of draft-bylaws, not yet approved by council, was mentioned.
Locals keep pigs, goats, sheep, cows, ducks, rodents, you name it, in these residential areas. The relevant acts are the Municipal Structures Act no 117 of 1998, the National Environmental Management Act no 107 of 1998, as well as the Lekwa Local Municipality Public Open Space Bylaw.
The DA-councillor said in April that a tipper truck is needed to move refuse and the hiring costs for such machinery amounted to R150 000 per hour.
She also said that Lekwa ideally needs 11 refuse trucks.
The provincial department paid a visit to Standerton on 15 October and encountered the conditions in Ward 15, near the Winifred Maboea Clinic, between Isifisosethu Primary School and a day care centre as well as Hlongwane Drive in Ward 5.
“Rooikoppen is the worst,” Ms Silosini said.
Piles of rubbish were also seen by the newspaper when recently travelling to Sakhile and for the uninitiated to potholes, the conduct of road users could be described as slow and careful.
She shared a horrific tale about a child falling into a pool of sewage outside Emuhle Unkulunkulu, a centre that feeds children.
Schools are threatened by the conditions especially Lesedi Primary School, Isifisosethu Primary School, Thandeka Primary School and the centre.
Mr Oscar Chiloane from the Department of Environmental Affairs, who travelled from Ermelo for the provincial visit, will now compile a report and keep the Lekwa Municipality informed, offering them a chance to fix things.
“The problem is not entirely Lekwa’s fault,” Ms Silosini concluded.
“Residents also contribute to the conditions by dumping rubbish illegally.
“It’s the municipality’s responsibility to educate the community on illegal dumping, enforce municipal bylaws and ensure refuse is collected timeously.”
The Standerton Advertiser sent a WhatsApp-message to Ms Thobeka Mtshiselwa, communications manager of the municipality, on Thursday, 17 October for comment and is awaiting a response.
