The dumping site in Botrivier is reportedly illegal, and residents are asking when it will be closed.
According to the ratepayers the dumping and waste transfer station in Botrivier has been operating illegally for years – too close to a residential estate, without the required environmental authorisations – yet Theewaterskloof Municipality has repeatedly failed to act, and continues to brush off residents’ concerns.
“The transfer station, situated a mere 25 metres from an established residential neighbourhood, has been at the centre of community complaints for more than 16 years.
“Residents have repeatedly raised the alarm about hazardous waste being dumped daily at the site, despite warning signs on the premises stating that dumping is unlawful,” a concerned resident said.
Province not happy
Their concerns are no longer just a matter of opinion. A representative of the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Muneeb Baderoon, visited the site earlier this year. Following the inspection, the head of the department, Eugene Pienaar, confirmed in writing that the transfer station is being operated illegally. Concerns were also raised about the structural integrity of the access ramp at the site.
“Despite that official confirmation, the site remains in operation.”
AfriForum’s Theewaterskloof branch also took the matter to the Caledon Police Station last year, lodging criminal complaints against approximately 30 individuals -including the municipal manager – after a peaceful march by concerned Botrivier residents.
John Carlile, resident of Botrivier, said at the time: “The residents of Botrivier will not be ignored or continue to watch this town be destroyed by the reckless mismanagement of the Theewaterskloof Municipality.”
Municipality too busy
The Hermanus Times approached Theewaterskloof Municipality for comment on the site’s continued operation, the provincial department’s findings, and what steps are being taken to address residents’ concerns.
The municipality indicated it was occupied with other matters and did not provide a substantive response. The Botrivier situation is part of a broader pattern of waste management failures across the Theewaterskloof area.
The municipality’s own Spatial Development Framework acknowledges that the Caledon landfill should have been closed and rehabilitated years ago – yet it remains in use, uncovered, with plastic waste blowing across the surrounding landscape.
Hermanus Times is in possession of documentation exchanged between the residents and TWK dating back to 2014. For Botrivier’s residents, the message has remained the same for over a decade and a half: they have to wait.
