City gets tough on waste disposal

eTHEKWINI is taking a tough approach on the enforcement of bylaws related to the management and disposal of waste especially by businesses.

During this week’s Clean My City campaign, the focus was on enforcing bylaws on businesses who flout municipal bylaws. City Manager, Sibusiso Sithole said the city was considering intensifying enforcement to ensure that people discontinue littering. “Litterbugs will be fined or face imprisonment if they do not comply with the bylaws. It is strange that they are doing this knowing that it is wrong,” he said.

He said any business or person who failed to comply with the terms of any notice served on them, would be deemed guilty of an offence and would be liable for a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both. The Deputy Head of Durban Solid Waste Unit and Coordinator of the Clean My City operation, Brian Mthembu said education on waste disposal issues was conducted incessantly on businesses. “They know about these bylaws. The owner or occupants of any premises should ensure that all the domestic or trade refuse generated on the premises is placed and kept in refuse receptacles for removal by the municipality or by a refuse removal contractor approved by DSW, ” he said.

Mthembu said the occupants or owner of the premises to which the city provided a refuse removal service, was obligted to grant a convenient access to the premises for the purpose of collecting and removing refuse and was required to ensure that nothing obstructed, frustrated or hindered city employees in the carrying out the service.

During the clean up operations, approximately four to five tons of liquor bottles, cans and soft drink cans were discovered on Palmer Street pavement. It was discovered that the underground water metres are used by vagrants to store their materials and could possibly suffer some damage. Metro Police spokesperson, Senior Superintendent, Eugene Msomi said Metro Police had been alerted that a bouncer from a nearby bar was allegedly responsible for using vagrants to dump bottles on the pavement. “He will be issued with a notice to stop doing so,” said Msomi.

The owner of Castle Corner liquor store in Gillipsie Street, Bheki Nyawo said his store was not responsible for the disposal of bottles and cans on the pavements. “The Municipality provided me with four bins for disposing liquor bottles and cans. I am committing myself to track those who are responsible for dumping here, and I will report them to the municipality,” said Nyawo. Nyawo said his customers were being mugged by people who live and sleep on Palmer Street. “This street should be cleared of vagrants as they cause a nuisance on the pedestrians,” he said.