Residents on Olympus Street were furious over refuse that ended up in their street and on their sidewalks, allegedly emanating from Flora Shopping Centre.
According to JP du Toit, problems with the centre’s waste disposal started in October.
“I am still not sure why they were suddenly unable to effectively deal with the waste from the different shops in the centre,” Du Toit says.
“All of a sudden, we were finding waste in the street and all over the sidewalks. A lot of the waste is branded, and it is clear that it emanates from shops in the centre.
“I’ve been engaging with centre management on a near-weekly basis since then, but with little luck.”
Du Toit alleges that one of the main problems is that the onsite refuse disposal area would be locked, thus causing staff from the various shops to leave their waste outside the enclosed area.
“Olympus Street is adjacent to the centre, and a lot of the refuse would find its way onto the street and the sidewalks, making it an eyesore. I’ve gone so far as to pay a worker to clean up from time to time, but that is not sustainable.”
The Roodepoort Record made contact with centre manager Marie Venter, who explains that a new process for waste disposal had been introduced, and some challenges with regard to staff training on the new system were initially experienced.
“We have since ensured that the relevant training was provided so that staff from the various shops know the procedure regarding the disposal of waste.
“We provide ample refuse bins and a refuse sorter, who is on duty from 07:00 to 16:00 daily. We’ve also ensured that refuse is removed daily except on Sundays, and photos will be taken at the beginning and end of each day, as an additional control measure.
“We are confident that these measures will eradicate this problem in future,” Venter concluded.
