The City of Ekurhuleni is facing mounting calls for its Environmental Resource and Waste Management Department to turn existing plans into action to protect the environment.
Climate and environmental activist Christine Coomans of Brakpan is among the scores of residents who have complained about a lack of government intervention in the City’s environmental crisis.
The concerned environmental activist recently penned an open letter to the metro complaining that pollution has become out of control, causing fire hazards, health issues and threatening the overall cleanliness of the environment.
In the letter, Coomans appealed to Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina, the Department of Environmental Resource and Waste Management and the Department of Health and Social Development to act quickly.
She also expressed her disappointment with authorities that her previous complaints were snubbed and is questioning the importance of having a local government if nothing is done about residents’ complaints.
Coomans said after the municipality’s failure to provide basic services of waste management, she decided to do something herself, and recently formed an NPO called Climate First South Africa to deal with the environmental issues.
According to her, the organisation has been organising campaigns to clean up littered areas in Ekurhuleni, focusing mostly on populated areas close to forests, dams, rivers, and veld that inhabit animals.
Out of control
However, the amount of trash being dumped in these areas has been continuously getting out of control and overwhelming.
“No one is paying attention to these environmental issues.
“We all waited for the municipality to come and clean. However, the lack of action has seen immoral residents taking advantage of the situation by adding to the mountains of trash, dumping their waste week in, week out,” said Coomans.
With the escalating rate of illegal dumping, the activist said it has become more difficult for her to continue cleaning these areas.
“I also can’t stand back and watch the continuous degradation of my community because all of us are being affected by this situation.
“I, therefore, suggest that council places disposal bins more widely and undertake a large-scale clean-up around the City.
“We have to understand that the more we allow people to illegally dump their trash, more and more people will do likewise as it seems there is no consequence to it.
“We need laws to protect us and our environment, and I request council to address these issues immediately.”
The mayor’s office has been contacted for comment, but none has been received as yet.
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