SASOLBURG – For months now, skippy bins in Amelia and Iraq, parts of the informal settlement Zamdela, have left residents fuming.
This comes after the Metsimaholo Local Municipality (MLM) has failed to collect refuse in the area.
According to opposition parties, the uncollected refuse has contributed to additional litter, pollution, and an unclean environment.
In a statement, DA councillor in MLM Stone Makhema said his party is planning to write to the municipal manager to improve refuse collection and removal in the area.
“During our recent oversight visit, we learnt from nearby residents that it has been months since the skip bins were emptied. This has angered these residents, as it has contributed to unhealthy living conditions, and the smell has become unbearable,” he said.
Makhema called on the municipality to establish a schedule for waste removal, as they [the DA] fear the situation will worsen during the festive season.
“On one occasion, the five skip bins surrounding a high school in Amelia were so full that rubbish was thrown onto the ground outside, as there was no more space inside. Our hearts go out to the learners and teachers who are forced to endure such conditions in their places of learning and work,” he added.
The DA has since called for equal service provision for all residents.
“We cannot have residents in these areas subjected to skip bins, and in other areas, the municipality provides house-to-house waste collection. We need a schedule like other residents, as this is also a cause of the mushrooming of illegal dumping sites in our areas,” he alluded.
“The municipality must immediately act to resolve this matter. The response that the contract for the previous company that provided skip bins has expired, is a result of poor planning, neglect, and a lack of care for the community. The same pace they employ to cut service to our people without notice must be the same pace for restoring proper service to our people,” he said.
Makhema said, “We will always stand for equal service delivery for all and fight for the rights of our people.”
At the time of going to press, MLM spokesperson Gino Alberts has not responded to media inquiries on the matter.
