The corner of 7th Avenue and 9th Street in the CBD is one of the many spots in Springs plagued by illegal dumping. This has been a cause of frustration for residents in the surrounding area. The metro heard these cries for help and stepped in to clean the area two weeks ago.
The relief was short-lived, as illegal dumping started shortly after, bringing in a rancid smell made worse by the heat and rains.
Khensani Ndao, a resident who does not live far from the area, says she must cover her nose every time she passes there for fear of getting sick from the smell.
“It is not just the rubbish, but the smell of human waste as well that is sickening. What is worse is that school children pass that corner to and from school daily, it is a health hazard.”
The Springs Advertiser arrived on site on April 30 and found a cleaning crew comprising Joel Zwezwe and Sikelela Nkambule cleaning the area again.
“People dump here and turn around and complain that the very same dumping is stinking up the place. They don’t realise we must all work together to keep Springs clean,” says Zwezwe.
Residents are reminded that illegal dumping is against the law which could result in a hefty fine or jail time.
This comes after the chief magistrate at the Johannesburg Magistrate Court determined and approved the implementation of the admission of guilt fines (in terms of Section 57(5) of the Criminal Procedure Act, Act 51 of 1977) in respect of offences in terms of contraventions of City of Ekurhuleni Integrated Waste Management By-Law with effect from 03 March 2025.
In terms of Section 53 of the Integrated Waste Management Bylaw, 2021, illegal dumping of any waste is prohibited within the city.
Any natural or juristic person found illegally dumping waste may be charged a spot fine (Administrative) of R10 000; or may upon conviction depending on the magnitude of the offence, be liable to a fine not exceeding R100 000 or to imprisonment for three years.
“Ours as a city is to now implement these punitive measures effectively so that we get to win the battle against illegal dumping,” declares the mMetro’s spokesman Zweli Dlamini.
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