Illegal dumping crisis deepens in Dobsonville

Illegal dumping in Dobsonville has become a serious and visible problem.

The community has around five known illegal dumping sites across the ward, including areas dangerously close to residential homes, on the sports grounds next to Dobsonville Stadium known as Congo, and right outside Enkolweni Primary School.

The impact is real, and it’s daily: residents live next to growing heaps of waste. The sports grounds are not being used for recreation.

Learners at Enkolweni are forced to sit in classrooms while rats and mice roam freely, attracted by the illegal dumping site outside the school gate.

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When a school is surrounded by illegal dumping, it affects the entire learning environment.

At Enkolweni, learners are contending with rodent infestations in their classrooms, which undermine concentration, disrupt attendance and compromise their basic dignity.

On the community side, dumping on sports grounds like Congo takes away safe recreational space from our youth, which pushes them toward idleness and, in some cases, unsafe activities.

Litter doesn’t stay in one place either; it blows across the neighbourhoods, clogs stormwater drains, attracts vermin, and lowers the overall quality of life for everyone.

Dobsonville Ward 48 Clr Kagiso Lebotse said that the current response to illegal dumping is not good enough.

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“We need tougher fines for people who dump illegally, better protection of cleaned-up areas, CCTV cameras to stop repeat dumping and create jobs for young people, more legal places to dispose of waste, and a stronger recycling programme.

“We need to work with Pikitup to make sure rubbish is collected on time, and residents are not left with overflowing bins.

“Dobsonville’s cleanliness is not the city’s job alone; it’s ours together. If you see a dumping site sprouting, report it before it grows. Use the designated bins and drop-off points once they’re in place.

Businesses can help by sponsoring bins, signage, or clean-up drives in their immediate area.

“I want to see an Adopt-a-Corner type programme where residents, schools, and local businesses take ownership of a specific street or space, backed by the ward office,” he said.

Lebotse added that the real change happens when enforcement (fines, cameras, barricades) is matched by opportunity (jobs, recycling income, reliable collection) and by community pride. Dobsonville deserves clean streets, safe sports grounds, and a school environment free of rats and mice.

Community member Lindokuhle Ngakane said the illegal dumping site is also having a negative impact on local businesses, as the foul smell and the flies it attracts discourage customers.

“The illegal dumping site near the school will make children sick,” she said.