Many residents complain about the state some areas in Drakenstein are in, but many residents are to blame for how our town looks, since they either participate in or turn a blind eye to illegal dumping.
In Paarl, Mbekweni and Wellington illegal dumping sites are seen almost on every open field. But who do residents point a finger to most of the time? Drakenstein Municipality.
Last year in an attempt to curb the huge amount of illegal dumping and to see if there will be less illegal dumping the municipality offered residents the chance to dump their waste for free at the landfill sites, this attempt proved to be almost fruitless and residents complained that many do not have transport to these sites.
Some residents pay someone next to nothing to remove rubble from their yards knowing that they will most likely dump it just around the corner.
The municipality is calling the challenges they face with illegal dumping a war on waste.
According to Gerald Esau, Executive Director: Community Services, they have been waging a war on waste for a number of years now, with a specific focus on illegal dumping.
“We have amended the relevant bylaw to make provision for heavier fines for culprits, as well as for vehicles used when committing these crimes to be confiscated,” he said. “We have also constructed and launched mini drop-offs to provide facilities for residents without transport to dispose of their waste in a controlled manner. In addition, the municipality offered a free-disposal-at-landfill pilot project at the Wellington Landfill Site.”
Esau said the municipality has been running awareness programmes, launched marketing tools such “how to dump waste legally” videos (for residents, for farmers and for businesses). Last year they started and rolled out the Tannie Dinah Project, various ward projects, and Expanded Public Works Programme employment creation projects relating to waste management.
New ward committee members will be elected soon and each ward will be represented by a “champion” on the Waste Management Portfolio Committee. Awareness campaigns will be rolled out in Drakenstein’s different wards.
According to Esau 30 fines were issued during the past three months for illegal dumping.
The new Integrated Waste Management Bylaw makes provision for various scenarios.
“A person can be fined according to the amount, size and/or type of waste they have dumped illegally and where they dumped their waste,” Esau said. “This means that one person can be issued with multiple charges/fines for illegal dumping. A fine can also be issued to a person who incites another person to dump illegally.”
He said that the municipality is currently advertising a mini-skip request for proposal to provide skips closer to waste hotspots, as well as an RFQ for the supply and delivery of 5,5 m³ industrial waste skips to provide alternative waste disposal options in informal areas.
Esau listed the following challenges:. The extended community does not realise the impact of illegal dumping on the immediate community’s health and on the environment;. Several small businesses use “informal refuse disposal services”, in which youths are paid to dispose of their waste illegally in open spaces; . Residents who use informal garden refuse removal services are also failing to ensure that their “service providers” are not dumping the material in municipal open spaces; . The actions of bin scavengers who upend and overturn street refuse bins and skips in open areas, result in waste being widely spread;. The mindset of certain communities who believe they are creating jobs for municipal employees by dumping waste indiscriminately;. Illegal dumping by small informal waste contractors as well as backyard dwellers on erven accommodating several families who generate more refuse than the allocated weekly wheelie bin service can accommodate; and. Social inequality, which results in residents who live in low income areas not having access to alternative facilities such as transport to effectively dispose of excess or garden waste.
“Residents need to take responsibility for the environment, and not facilitate or condone the practice of illegal dumping. Communities need to stand together and report illegal dumping at 080 131 3553 toll free (24/7).”
Residents who wish to remain anonymous can also report illegal dumping to the toll-free number. Law enforcement officers, neighbourhood watches and armed response services need to be on the lookout for transgressors and report immediately.
