Richards Bay residents fume over refuse dumping costs
Payment must be made at any municipal rates hall before proceeding to the Alton site as no cash is accepted at the facility.
THE City of uMhlathuze Alton material recovery facility, which is now also a garden waste transfer station, will see residents paying R32 per load.
The change came into effect at the beginning of July and is not welcomed by ratepayers who say having to pay to dump garden waste will add to their expenses.
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Payment must be made at any municipal rates hall before proceeding to the Alton site as no cash is accepted at the facility.
For now, the City of uMhlathuze will use a manual slip system, and will consider using online services to reduce challenges.
However, slips do not expire and can be purchased in bulk.
Meanwhile, residents took to social media to raise their concerns that the tariffs will only exacerbate the ongoing challenge of illegal dumping across the city as many cannot afford to pay this fee.
Meerensee resident Barbara Berridge said she is frustrated over this cost as this fee should be factored in to the refuse removal cost.
“We are municipal ratepayers and now we must pay extra to dump.
“This is not acceptable,” she said.
“The city should look at adding a minimal fee of R1 per ratepayer to cover this cost. It will surely make it easier to help get the illegal dumping problem under control.
“People will not want to pay extra when you look at the cost of petrol and general living expenses already.
“What about businesses that rely on this service?
“It will impact them.
“We will also find more households either dumping illegally or making fires at home to dispose of their refuse.
“The city must look at options to help ratepayers, especially our pensioners who cannot afford all these extra costs,” said Berridge.
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