DA: New refuse removal system is a “monumental disaster”
The Democratic Alliance in Brakpan is demanding answers from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality about why it "hastily" implemented a new rubbish removal system, before it sought approval from council or put contingency plans in place to deal with the inevitable teething problems.
According to DA councillors Shauné le Roux and Gary Scallan, due processes were not followed and the Environmental Development Department failed to furnish the council with a policy document outlining its plan to roll-out a new dustbin collection system.
“No public participation took place and the residents affected by the start of the roll-out were never given any information regarding the project,” they said in a media statement.
“Since then, this breakdown in council processes has caused chaos and major upsets in the affected areas, as both residents and councillors have reached their wits’ end trying to get a single straight answer out of the Solid Waste officials.
“The DA has been routinely requesting a policy document so that when residents query why black bags filled with rubbish are not collected on refuse removal day, councillors have an answer for them.”
Le Roux and Scallan find it unacceptable that the municipality has been running a project for two years with no policy guidelines, irrelevant debate in the Environmental Development oversight committee and inadequate communication with residents.
“The DA, in the Environmental Development oversight committee, has pushed for a formal policy for the Waste Management Department for the last three years,” they said.
“The roll-out of the 240-litre bins has been a monumental disaster since inception.
“Firstly, many trucks were not fitted with the bin-lifting device, which caused numerous problems in many areas, with Tembisa being the worst hit.
“Secondly, the communications around the distribution of the bins has been woeful, with many residents in ward 97 receiving their first communication only after the bins had already been distributed.
“Thirdly, and most importantly, there is no waste management policy in place.
“The Waste Department presented their policy only in November, last year, and the committee sent it back to the drawing board as it was of such a poor standard.
Also of concern to the councillors is that there is no replacement bin policy in place.
“This means that if a resident’s bin is stolen and they place black plastic bags out for collection, most won’t be collected, depending in which area one lives,” le Roux and Scallan said.
“There is no EMM-wide rule, as there is no approved policy to provide clear direction.”
The DA called for the accountable MMC, Clr Vuyelwa Mabena, to do her job and ensure that the policy is brought to council with urgency and that this is properly communicated to all residents, with an adequate notice period for them to understand and comply with the requirements of the new system.
“Until then, the MMC must issue instructions that all black bags, whether or not they are in bins, are removed as usual,” added the councillors.
The Herald has requested comment from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
