Residents of Baba Street in Mfuleni have raised concerns about ongoing illegal dumping in a City-owned park located in front of their houses, saying it has effectively become a dumping site.

Nomakhaya Mdlalo, a resident, said the problem has persisted for a long time. She said, although the City previously cleaned and restored the park, it was soon vandalised and filled with rubbish again.

Residents say park has become a crime hotspot

“The park no longer serves its purpose. It was meant for our children to play, but now criminals use it for illegal activities. They smoke here, and people get robbed while passing through. All we want is for the City to repurpose the space, perhaps by building a crèche or a church,” said Mdlalo. She added that some community members even dump dead dogs at the site.

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Another resident, Nosisi Pelibhongo, criticised those responsible for the dumping, saying their actions are hindering development in the area.

Illegal dumping blamed on local residents

“We often blame the councillor or the City as if they don’t care about our community, but it is actually us who vandalise our own facilities. The garbage has attracted flies and rats. People from other streets even dump the contents of their wheelie bins here,” she said.

Councillor acknowledges ongoing dumping problem

Ward 114 councillor Ernest Madikane confirmed that he is aware of the illegal dumping at the Baba Street park, describing it as one of the major challenges in his ward.

“I always urge residents during public meetings to stop dumping rubbish in open spaces. The worst part is that some of this dumping happens in formal residential areas. People dump rubbish in open spaces at night instead of waiting for the City’s waste collection trucks,” said Madikane.

He added that he will inform City officials to arrange for trucks to clean the area.