Complaints of drain dumping
Complaints of oil and other waste being dumped into a storm water drain at 5 Ways Mall has tenants up in arms
STORM water drains at 5Ways Mall used as dumping spots have Empangeni residents up in arms.
Reports of used oil, food byproducts and other waste emptied from black plastic rubbish bins have been flooding in from a number of concerned citizens and tenants are being blamed.
According to one resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, ‘On Friday morning I saw two female Nandos employees each dragging a black plastic bin across the drive-through area of the parking lot towards the storm water drain. When I approached them and saw the oily mess inside the bins, I asked them what they were doing.
‘I did not get much of a reply but they did stop what they were doing. However this is not the first time I have seen this and once I left I am sure they continued.’
A few hours later a tenant of the Mall reported that she had also seen employees of Nandos dumping the contents of rubbish bins into the drain.
‘It happens often, sometimes the bins are washed out in the parking lot and all the muck washes down the gutter past my shop. The smell is terrible and I am sure it chases away customers.’ she explained.
When contacted, the Nandos Manager said, ‘The rubbish bins were full of water and there was no oil or any other hazardous waste in the bins when they were emptied. ‘There was a smell coming from the bins and it was worrying our customers so we dumped them into the drain.’
City of uMhlatuze Chief Communications Officer, Vukile Mathabela, cited the bylaws relating to Public Health and Environmental Health.
‘A person may not place or deposit any waste or material in any public place or place not intended for such purpose, unless such waste is placed in approved receptacles or facilities intended for such purpose.’
However after going to the drain in question later on Friday afternoon traces of oil which had been spilled when poured down the drain was evident.
