A promise was made that the public will get feedback on possible solutions for the problems that the northern landfill site creates for residents by October.
The mayoral committee member of the Mangaung Metro on waste and fleet management, Theodorah Mosala, said at ’n community meeting held yesterday at Brebner High School, that feedback on possible solutions must be discussed earlier rather than later.
“We don’t want anybody to die because of health hazards created by the landfill site,” she said and promised that a Section 80 committee will sit on the matter and feedback will be given to the community.
This comes after many complaints from residents of Bayswater because of recent fires at the northern landfill site.
Francois Nel, acting department head for Community Services, says the fires was the result of sabotage by internal and external groups.
The police raided the northern landfill site over the weekend to remove illegal reclaimers on the site.
Nel says the metro is now receiving new vehicles ordered to improve the effectivity of the metro’s landfill sites.
He said vehicles of R67 million was ordered and are now being delivered. This includes two new compactors and new front end loaders.
“No maintenance was done on the landfill site in five years,” Nel said at the meeting. “A new management team was recently appointed and we are planning new fences and security cameras.”
Nel said one of the huge challenges they have, is that they need 38 000 loads of cover material for the land fill site.
Some of the community members at the meeting complained about the heavy smoke, smells, flies, dust and waste being blown around. Most of all they are worried about the value of their properties.
Bridgette van der Merwe, chairperson of the community association Bayswater Unite, said at the meeting the landfill site creates opportunities for education and waste management and can create jobs.
Many residents close to the landfill site have health issues that keeps getting worse. “We can’t breathe,” one resident said at the meeting.
Mosala said research must be done to get workable solutions to manage the landfill site best.
Nel said waste management received a budget increase of 600% to tackle the many challenges of waste disposal in the city.
Another community member Adv Mbulelo Phetheni said businesses at Northridge Mall is affected by the problems at the landfill site.
“We as community want answers and alternatives. The metro must come with solutions for the health problems, risk to property values and crime.
“You promise to install a new fence, but you will install a new fence today and it will be gone tomorrow. How are the metro going to prevent the theft of a new fence?”
Nel promised that his team is very committed and urged residents to use council structures for complaints.”
