Following the recent launch of the Clean City Programme in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), Mayor Mondli Gungubele took it upon himself to visit an area in Sebenza that had become a dumping zone and a home to vagrants.
Ms Sharilee Fletcher, a business owner in the area, said for the past six years the vacant area on Ingwe Road had been a home to many vagrants and a dumping ground for people and some companies.
“The dumping started about six years ago and it has become worse in the last two years. There were little shacks all over here, which were used by the vagrants, and crime escalated to a point where insurance companies could not pay any more because the business robberies were so frequent,” said Ms Fletcher.
She said the servitude belongs to City Power but they did not get any help after contacting them numerous times.
“The servitude belongs to City Power but after trying to get them to clean it without any joy, we eventually had to call the mayor of Ekurhuleni to help us because this was seriously affecting the businesses in the area,” she said.
When the NEWS visited the area, there were people collecting recyclable material while big trucks were removing the larger rubble.
“The area looks much better than it was a few weeks ago. After not getting help from City Power, we had no choice but to contact Mayor Gungubele because our businesses were suffering. Others had left the area because of the smell and the crime that was happening. The mayor did not waste any time because he visited the area a few days after we spoke and the clean-up started. This has been a most amazing clean-up and I would like to thank the mayor and the HOD of Waste Management Ms Qaphile Gcwensa, because they have been on the ball since this clean-up began,”she said.
Speaking at the October council meeting held in Germiston, Clr Gungubele said the Clean City Programme will not only focus on parks and Central Business Districts (CBD), but will also include private and council stands, cemeteries and road reserves.
“The Clean City Programme will assist us to reprioritise our work in order to speed up the rollout of the 2401 bins, rehabilitate all our water bodies, enhance the cleaning of taxi ranks and intensify waste collection and vigilance in the management of storm water and drainage systems,” said Clr Gungubele.
Ms Fletcher said the cleaning started on November 28 and the improvement is visible. She said the dumping was not done by the factories in the area but by other companies outside Sebenza who came frequently to dump their waste on the site.
“We have seen trucks belonging to big companies dumping their waste here and when we told them to stop, their drivers threatened us,” she said.
She wants people to know that there are consequences to dumping and the EMPD has issued fines to those who were caught dumping. She hopes that once the area is cleaned up, the SAPS and Metro Police will be visible in order to discourage further dumping. Mr Hein Scheepers, who owns a business in the area, said it has been a struggle to get the area cleaned and they had almost given up. He also wants people to know that dumping in the area is illegal and those caught will face the consequences.
“On behalf of businesses in the area, I want to thank the Ekurhuleni Metro for coming to the party. Ms Gcwentsa and the mayor have restored our faith in government,” said Mr Scheepers. He urged everyone to get involved in making sure the area remains clean after the clean-up.
“Everyone must be on board, maybe install cameras and also have security companies to monitor the area.
Request for comment was sent to City Power but it was not received at the time of going to print.
