Illegal night-time dumping threatens Bryanston’s Braamfontein Spruit greenbelt
Councillor Lynda Shackelford urges residents to act as eyes on the ground as illegal dumping surges along sensitive ecological zones in Ward 103, with rubble appearing near homes, Scout halls, and popular walking trails.
A spike in illegal dumping along the Braamfontein Spruit and surrounding greenbelt areas in Bryanston has sparked alarm among Ward 103 residents.
The residents said building rubble was being offloaded under the cover of darkness, dangerously close to homes, Scout halls, and pedestrian walkways.
Ward 103 councillor Lynda Shackelford confirmed that the rubble dumping began around three weeks ago and was believed to be the work of small construction crews operating in wards 103 and 106. She suspected these contractors were hiring informal removers.
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“The rubble is being dumped at night, when there’s no one around to catch them in the act,” Shackelford said. “In some cases, it’s happening right opposite residents’ properties, and in others, near Scout halls and places where people walk their dogs or children play. It’s dangerous, unsightly and illegal.”
Two key locations identified include 53 Hamilton Road, Bryanston, near the Braamfontein Spruit area and the corner of Brooke Avenue and Farm Street, Bryanston, a known green space and pedestrian zone.
Shackelford said one dumping site was directly adjacent to a resident’s home, while others were near areas used by children and the community. “We don’t know what’s in those piles; there could be sharp objects, plastics, or even hazardous chemicals.”
She expressed deep concern about the environmental impact, saying that building rubble could easily be washed into the spruit during rain, contaminating the water and harming wildlife. “This is a sensitive ecological zone. Once rubble enters the water, it’s not just a clean-up issue; it becomes a pollution crisis.”
Shackelford said one incident was posted on the social media platform I Love Bryanston, showing dumping along West Hartford Road. Unfortunately, only a photo, not a video, was captured, limiting enforcement action.
Also read: Sewage leaks threaten Sandspruit River’s vital ecosystem
“Because it’s happening at night and there are no cameras in some of these areas, it’s incredibly hard to catch the perpetrators.”
Some residents have turned to private security companies for assistance, with limited success. “We saw this happen in 2023, too. Back then, private security helped us catch three companies involved in similar illegal dumping.”
Shackelford encouraged residents to report all dumping incidents to JMPD and, crucially, to capture video evidence when it was safe to do so.
“If you see a truck offloading rubble, please record it, call your private security, and immediately alert JMPD.”
In terms of cleaning up the site, Shackelford said Pikitup had been notified.
“Pikitup told me they’ll visit the site today [September 29] to assess how much rubble needs to be cleared. Once we have that information, we’ll coordinate removal efforts.”
In the meantime, residents are urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity. “We can’t allow our green spaces to become dumping grounds. We need community eyes and collective action.”
The Sandton Chronicle reached out to Pikitup on September 26 for comment. Updates will be provided once they become available.
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