Braamfontein Spruit greenbelt under siege from illegal dumping

What was once a peaceful stretch of green along the Braamfontein Spruit is fast becoming a symbol of municipal inaction, as residents grow increasingly frustrated with ongoing illegal dumping and a lack of accountability from the city’s municipal departments.

Despite repeated reports and mounting evidence, rubble continues to pile up along the greenbelt in Bryanston, now even in broad daylight. Residents said the situation has worsened over time, with dumpers no longer attempting to hide their activities.

Read more: Illegal dumping continues to threaten Braamfontein Spruit greenbelt

Resident Cheena Maake said they have been fighting and reporting the issue of illegal dumping to Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo since last year, but no positive action had been taken.

“I am very passionate about the beauty of the environment and keeping green spaces clean. I’m always chasing people around when they litter here, but last year, during the wintertime, one big truck came and dumped a lot of building rubble. We reported to City Parks, and they kept saying they would come on Monday, but they never did.”

Maake added that, on the morning of April 10, another truck came and dumped more rubble in the same greenbelt area. “We’ve got a lot of building rubble here on the Braamfontein Spruit greenbelt, from last year and this year. People are building, but they’re not responsible for discarding their building rubble. This is a threat to our green spaces.”

Ward 103 councillor Lynda Shackelford said, in September last year, a building construction truck dumped a whole lot of rubble at the site.

Also read: Sandown clean-up drive removes mountains of waste from Sandspruit River

“However, on April 10, I got alerted by a resident that, yet again, rubble had been dumped on our riverine area. Our green spaces are precious. This cannot happen. I’m asking residents to keep an eye out for all people who are illegally dumping. Please catch a video of it and send me the evidence.

“We need to start fining these people and making sure the people who are hiring these drivers who collect rubble are also fined, because it is their responsibility. It is their rubble, even if they get another driver to do it. It is unacceptable that the city now needs to come up and pick up again after residents.”

Shackleford added, “Between City Parks and Pikitup, we’re still trying to get one of them to come and remove the rubble. However, at present, we’re having a big problem as to whose responsibility it is to remove this. I am going to push through my regional office to get me to keep my finger on the pulse as this needs to be removed, and it needs to be removed quickly.”

The publication reached out to City Parks and Pikitup on April 10 for comment. No response had been received at the time of going to print.

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