Illegal dumping sparks anger at Richards Bay SPCA

Illegal dumping is causing a stench at Richards Bay SPCA, with staff and committee members gravely concerned about the knock-on effect to the organisation.

Rubbish strewn alongside the gravel road leading to the SPCA premises in Meerensee, and the overflowing skip outside the entrance gate, greet visitors to this animal welfare organisation that simply cannot afford to lose support.

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This is aside from the potential health hazard to both animals in the care of the SPCA, and staff members.

“While there is building material, like paving, that we’re storing up to use to increase our parking area, people are just dumping broken tiles, bits of wood, seemingly anything alongside the road,” said Lanie Korff, Richards Bay SPCA chairperson.

“People are also dumping waste into our municipal skip, which we pay to have emptied, causing it to fill up and overflow.

“Vagrants go through it, and the waste ends up all over the place, including in the swamp area next to the road. It looks disgusting! And the public is complaining to us because they think it’s the SPCA.”

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Korff said the skip is emptied by the municipality regularly, but municipal workers cannot be expected to clean up the ground around the skip.

“Our own people have to do that, and it’s a huge job; it’s time and staff we don’t have,” said Korff. “The flies and vermin this rubbish attracts are terrible. We don’t dump food waste in the skip, only dry rubbish, but other people dump food waste.”

She said they urge the public to dispose of their waste correctly and lawfully.

The situation was reported to the relevant department at the City of uMhlathuze on Friday morning, says Korff, who was informed it would be immediately attended to.

In a recent social media post, City of uMhlathuze communications manager Simphiwe Makhanya, again warned the public against illegal dumping.

“Recently, a driver caught dumping illegally was issued an abatement notice and fined R2 000,” said Makhanya.

“The municipality reminds all residents that keeping uMhlathuze clean is a shared responsibility. Illegal dumping is an offence.”

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