Eldorado Park community tackles illegal dumping
Former councillor Peter Rafferty joined residents in the community clean-up.
Former Eldorado Park councillor Peter Rafferty volunteered to clean a manhole that has been causing blockages to The Hub in Ext 5.
The Hub is home to local NPO My Life Matters So I Spoke Out. It is used to host monthly ladies’ tea events, the annual knitathon, and meetings, among other community programmes.
According to Rafferty, a community activist, illegal dumping resulted in the manhole being covered with dirt.
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“We are here [day] to help the activities which are being carried out at The Hub. Our toilet facility keeps on blocking. What we have found out now is that due to dumping which is being done here, the entire manhole was covered with dirt,” he said.
He said the team had been clearing the dirt to open the sewer and prevent future blockages, adding that the manhole would be sealed to discourage further dumping.
He encouraged residents to take pride in their community and avoid dumping anything illegally.
“You will never dump in front of your own house, but dumping anywhere else is the same as dumping in front of your own house,” he said.
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“It is about time that we take pride in our community and take it back because people coming from outside view us differently when they see such things. It may not be everyone, but if we all play our part, our community will be a beautiful one again.”
Rafferty said illegal dumping impacts the whole community, especially during the rainy season.
“People clean their yards and then dispose of the dirt into the stormwater drain. During the rainy season, we have all these floods,” he said.
He added that open spaces must be maintained for the benefit of youth rather than being dumping grounds.
“These open spaces must be an area where our youth and children come and play and enjoy. You cannot enjoy when people dump in these areas,” he said.
He praised the community members who volunteered to assist with the clean-up.
ALSO READ: DA launches clean-up campaign to tackle illegal dumping in Eldorado Park
“The youngsters that you are seeing here all put up their hands and said, ‘We are coming to help.’ There is no expectation of anything, but we are taking back what is ours. This is our community,” he said.
Rafferty said the clean-up forms part of a broader initiative to reclaim neglected public spaces.
