SEBOKENG.- People living near and driving along Waterdal Road face major health risks due to a growing illegal dumping and burning crisis.

Motorists and residents say the problem has worsened over the past few years following the closure of the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) dumping site in Duncanville.

The situation is a disaster!

Drivers now have to zig-zag across the busy road to avoid oncoming traffic and vagrants waiting to offload waste from incoming vehicles right next to the tarmac.

Concerned motorists have warned that the situation is a disaster waiting to happen.

“This dumping place is illegal, it is next to a busy road, and no one seems to care. What is being done about this? The burning of rubbish goes on from morning until late at night; some of us have no alternative but to use this road every day. We already know how dangerous the road is without the dumping site. What awaits here is a disaster!” they said.

Illegal dumping will soon become a punishable offence.

Residents are urgently demanding that authorities step in and fix the problem.

In response, Makhosonke Sangweni of the ELM said that the municipality continues to send waste collection trucks to clean up illegal dumping sites. He also announced that illegal dumping will soon become a punishable offence.

“We will soon have boards with clear rules and regulations prohibiting illegal dumping.”