Illegal dumping and shacks cause problems in Benoni

Illegal dumping and the illegal erection of shacks in several open velds in Benoni is causing concern for local residents and business owners.

Paula Rutherford, a business owner in Main Road and resident of Farrarmere, said rodents are becoming more evident due to the litter and vagrants living in the veld on the corners of Main Road and Windermere Drive.

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“There is a large stretch of land backing onto the highway. Dumping is a continuous problem and rodents are frequently seen here,” Rutherford said.

“And now we have people living in the reeds with only blankets and the refuse is staggering – and multiplying weekly.”

Rutherford said the issue arose about three months ago and since then she has been active in trying to get the Ekurhuleni metro involved in cleaning the area.

“I have been to the Benoni Municipality, as well as 5 Golden Drive where the metro has a depot, and also spoke to our ward councillor, Malanie Haggard,” she said.

Rutherford said the veld burnt on July 20 but this did little to deter the situation as the vagrants are still living there and littering.

A business in Birmingham Road, Benoni South, also recently contacted the City Times about vagrants and the burning of copper cable in a veld behind their premises.

According to one of the site managers, Hennie Marais, the veld behind the business is being utilised by vagrants to burn cables and shacks have been erected in Luton Road.

“We just want the veldt to be cleaned.

“There are constant fires because people are burning cables so that they can extract the wiring,” he explained.

“This is causing a lot of air pollution and we need an increase in police visibility here to put a stop to this.

“I am increasing security measures on our premises, but the burning of cables is an issue that needs to be dealt with urgently.”

Several items including metal, computers and car batteries have been stolen from the factory over the years and Marais suspects it is a result of the scrap yards nearby that offer cash for items like this.

According to Marais, members of the EMPD, the metro and Red Ants were contacted about the situation but nothing has been done.

Another hotspot for recyclers and their wares, littering and illegal dumping is a veld in Back Street, Morehill.

Despite signage warning against illegal dumping, habitation, mining, trespassing or fires, the state of the veld has raised concern among local residents who, once again, asked the City Times to intervene.

Comment has been requested from the Ekhurhuleni metro regarding the by-laws governing such activities in open veld areas. No response had been received at the time of publication.

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