The affected businesses, including Super Skip, are now forced to dump their waste at the Palm Springs Landfill site, which is located approximately 45 minutes drive away.

This change has had a detrimental impact on their daily operations, as they have experienced a drastic reduction in the number of bins they can dump per day.

Annarie Boshoff from Super Skip explained that they went from dumping an average of 6 to 8 bins per day at Boitshepi Landfill to only 2 bins per day at Palm Springs.

The situation has become even more concerning, as waste removal businesses have been warned about the safety risks associated with going to Palm Springs. They were advised not to visit the landfill before 9:00 in the morning or after 15:00 in the afternoon.

Unfortunately, there is no immediate solution to this problem.

Vaalweekblad spoke to counsellor Gerda Sekekal of the VF Plus, who shed light on the situation. Counselor Senekal explained that landfill sites have a limited operational lifespan, and when that time is reached, they must be closed according to the law.

The municipality, Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), failed to secure new licenses in time for the closure of Boitshepi, Waldrift, and Sondlandpark landfill sites, resulting in fines. ELM is currently in the process of obtaining a license for the new landfill site, Yakane, but this will only be finalised by 2024.

The process of obtaining a license involves a lengthy procedure. Currently, Palm Springs is the only local landfill site with a valid license.

As a result, ELM’s garbage trucks have to follow the same route to dump waste, which negatively affects service delivery and increases costs.

Counselor Senekal acknowledged that while the process was initiated late, ELM is now following the necessary legal steps.

The Palm Springs Landfill is situated near Orange Farm. It is an approximately 45 minute drive from Vanderbijlpark on the Golden Highway in the direction of Johannesburg.