Illegal dumping and sand mining damage infrastructure and threaten delayed Aquadene Housing development
Concerns amid ongoing dumping and sand mining at housing development site in Richards Bay
While measures are being taken to safeguard and rehabilitate the stalled Aquadene Housing Project, severe degradation from illegal dumping and sand mining has already taken hold of the site.
Apart from the obvious health risks posed by the illegal dumping of household and other waste, new infrastructure that was installed for the housing project has been damaged during the course of illicit activities.
The cost not only to clear the site, but also to rectify damaged work weighs heavily on residents’ minds.
A three-day land-clearing process to appropriately address the on-site waste and ensure all debris is removed began on Wednesday with a controlled fire to remove all leftover tree stumps.
The initiative was welcomed by Ward Councillor Ray Govender and community members as the project site has become an eyesore for illegal dumping, sand mining and other criminal activities.
Inspecting the site during Wednesday’s controlled burn, Govender said it was great to see service providers leaving the site in a clean manner after completing their work.
“While the tree stumps have been dealt with after the storm water project has been completed, we are still challenged with the illegal dumping of waste, rubble and illegal sand mining that is destroying the site,” said Govender.
“The area is a no go zone, as waste of every kind has been dumped on the new roads as well as on the site that was cleared for housing construction.
“It is only our residents who can bring this illegal dumping to an end, as well as those businesses that are dumping in the area.
“The new water infrastructure that was installed has been damaged by the ongoing sand mining, with people having dug massive holes and uprooted the piping.
“Not only is the dumping affecting the environment, it is also undoing the infrastructure work that has begun.”
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