The blitz on illegal dumping by Metro police seems to be paying off.
Illegal dumping has become a problem for the city council and is attributed to the booming construction industry, homeowners and garden services – mainly from affluent areas.
Those who contract informal truckers do so for the lowest costs where waste disposal is not a concern. The truckers are said to prefer nearby sites like Alexandra and Marlboro to maximise on profit as designated dump sites are further away. Also there is less chance of detection by police due to lax law enforcement.
Last week, four trucks were caught dumping along the Jukskei River in Setswetla informal settlement.
Marlboro Police Station commander, Superintendent Ignus Jonas, said their efforts were paying off and credited residents for informing them of the dumping.
Jonas said two of the trucks had previously been taken off the road but, surprisingly, were back operating with no sign of the required repairs to make them roadworthy again.
Faults include malfunctioning brakes, clutches, steering racks, loose props and crank shafts, missing rearview mirrors, no licence disks, worn interiors and tyres, and missing door handles. He said impounded trucks were released after paying a fine of R1 500, and those struck off were taken away in flatbed loaders for repairs, before reinspection and reissuing of roadworthiness certificates.
“I wonder how the two trucks made it back on the road as they are still moving coffins,” he said.
Jonas added that their investigation revealed collusion between trucking companies and some residents who allegedly charged for dumping space. Some of the impounded truck drivers confessed to paying fees ranging from R350 to R500 for a single five-ton load.
One driver, who declined to be named, said dumping was a lucrative businesses and sometimes they queued for their turn, with others dumping several loads per day. Also, a ‘watch house’ had been constructed to control the trucks waiting their turn.
Jonas criticised the trucking companies, saying they disrespected residents and couldn’t do the same in affluent areas, from where they got the rubble in the first place.
“We will continue to impound them and will request [permission] to institute stiffer fines, as the current penalty seems ineffective. Also, we will seek investigations of testing stations which reissue certificates to un-roadworthy vehicles,” he concluded.
