SPOKESPERSON for the eThekwini Municipality Msawakhe Mayisela says fines of up to R5 000 will be issued to anyone caught illegally dumping refuse. The warning comes after residents raised health concerns about piles of rotting refuse along Che Guevara Road in Glenwood.
Kushmiri Garach, a Glenwood resident who has lived in the area since 1998, said she has never seen such high volumes of refuse in the area.
“This is the first time it’s been this bad. I drive down toward the Esplanade every day on way to work. There is refuse all along Che Guevara Road. The municipality is not picking up dirt,” said the resident.
Mayisela responded, saying, “The Cleansing and Solid Waste Unit has a duty to collect all refuse within the city. Routes are designed so that resources can be deployed to perform the functions effectively and efficiently, and this includes picking up of all bagged refuse that comes out from residential units. Residential areas receive once-a-week street-sweeping services, and litter that is on the ground is not considered illegally dumped if it falls within the street-sweeping schedule.”
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Refuse left on the street outside of the scheduled collection date constitutes illegal dumping.
“Residents are encouraged to take out refuse on their scheduled collection days. The City has law enforcement officers responsible for all by-laws, and this includes waste management by-laws. Fines of up to R5 000 can be issued in the event of being caught dumping,” said Mayisela.
Garach noted that refuse is being dumped outside of the collection day.
“People are dumping, and dirt is not collected for three to four weeks at a time. Refuse collection is on a Monday. Why are people allowed to dump on the pavement at any time?” she asked.
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Attempts to report the matter proved unsuccessful for Garach.
“I phoned about 20 times from last week Friday, and no one answered the call,” she said.
Not only is refuse an eyesore for Garach, but the resident raises health concerns.
“Refuse makes our area look ugly. This is the road we drive down to our apartment – do we want visitors to come here when it looks like this? It’s starting to smell, and it’s going to bring cockroaches and rats to the street,” she said.
Mayisela urged residents to report illegal dumping on 031 311 8804 or email DSW@durban.gov.za.
