In a bold move to turn around the scourge of illegal dumping, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality plans to spend more than R170 million to purchase 42 refuse compactor trucks over three years.
The metro is currently faced with a serious illegal dumping challenge, that is not only negatively affecting the metro beautification plan, but also poses a serious hygienic risk to residents, more especially children.
These plans by the Public Health Directorate were approved at the Mayoral Committee meeting held on May 28.
According to the Waste Management sub-directorate, under the Public Health Directorate, the illegal dumping challenge has partly been caused by inconsistent refuse collection.
This inconsistency has been caused by continuous mechanical failure of the old refuse compactor trucks.
The old trucks that continuously experienced mechanical problems count for more than 60 percent of the total refuse collection fleet owned by the metro.
The city has been forced to acquire the services of private external service providers, costing the metro more than R50 million each financial year, an expense that has proved to be unsustainable for the metro.
Now the metro plans to set aside funds to acquire its own fleet over three years. The metro plans to set a budget of R61.5 million for the 2023/24 financial year for 15 refuse compactor trucks.
For the 2024/25 financial year the same amount is planned to be allocated for 15 trucks, while R49.2 million will be set aside for the 2025/26 financial year.
Presenting the item at the Mayoral Committee meeting, Mayoral Committee Member for Public Health, Thsonono Buyeye said it was obvious to everyone to see that drastic and sustainable measures must be taken to keep our Metro clean.
“It is only fair for residents and rate payers for us to prioritise investing in service refuse collection, because it is a service that our residents pay for under these difficult economic conditions.
“The situation of illegal dumping that is partly caused by the inconsistency of our refuse collection, cannot any longer be treated as just a minor inconvenience. It is posing a serious risk to our residents and their children,” said Buyeye.
He said that he was pleased that the Mayoral Committee has unanimously approved this item, for it to go through for further approval by council.
