eMBALENHLE – Rubble, torn garbage bags, bottles and even baby nappies are strewn about on most of the street corners in eMbalenhle.
Other street corners in the township have also been turned into rubbish dump sites.
This has become a common sight in the area and it is a threat to public health.
Not only to human, but also to the wild life alike.
The Govan Mbeki Municipality has made several calls to the public to refrain from this practice, however this continues.
The municipality promised to enforce by-laws on illegal dumpers and urged locals to report those who are littering.
The council said it is high time that transgressors are brought to book.
In a press statement, the municipality encouraged locals to take pictures of people in the act, or of the vehicle and registration number when a vehicle is used.
The municipality established a law enforcement unit which is responsible for the enforcement of all local by-laws, including the Cleansing Services/ Waste Management Bylaws 2003.
They will require an affidavit from the witness to be handed in at the municipal offices along with the photo evidence, after which the person or owner of the vehicle will be summoned to court.
The witness may be summoned to appear as a witness and to testify in court.
“Illegal dumpers have no regard for the environment. Dumping is contributing to an environment which is harmful to our health and not conducive to future generations, a basic constitutional right of every citizen.
“By littering or dumping illegally, the person is failing to take ownership and responsibility of the waste they generate and conveniently shift the responsibility to the municipality.
“In an attempt to combat littering and illegal dumping, the municipality has placed numerous awareness and notice boards at strategic places throughout our towns and access roads,” the municipality stated.
Locals blamed this on the municipality and said they end up dumping anywhere, because the municipality does not collect waste in the area.
However, the municipality disputed that and said it always adheres to the collection schedule.
The waste collection schedule for eMbalenhle is: Monday the refuse is collected in Extensions 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 24 and the CBD. Tuesday it is collected in Extensions 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 25 and the CBD.
Wednesday the rubbish is collected in Extensions 18, 19, 20, and CBD.
Thursday it is collected in Extension 14, some parts of Extensions 15, 21, and 26, a portion of Extension 16 and CBD, and on a Friday it is collected in Extensions 15 and 17, 22 and CBD.
