CoJ hauled to court for ignoring Kya Sand’s illegal dumping crisis

Neighbourhoods such as Bloubosrand, Cedar Lakes, Cedar Creek, Chartwell, Craigavon AH, Douglasdale, and Jukskei Park are among those suffering the impacts of smoke coming from an illegal waste disposal site in Kya Sand, with the list of affected areas extending even further.

Keith Elliott, a fed-up resident, is spearheading a furious campaign to take legal action against the waste management company, Pikitup, for their alleged blatant disregard of the community’s well-being and persistent illegal dumping.

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He said Pikitup was licensed by Gauteng Department of Rural Development and Agriculture (GDARD) to de-commission the Kya Sand Waste Disposal Site in 2010. Soon after it was closed, it was re-opened by illegal operators known as ‘waste lords’ who began taking money from dumpers.

“In a very short time the number of illegal commercial dumps in the area has proliferated. We have now documented at least 14 illegal dumps in the area, on city, provincial and private land.

“These dumps service up to 200 trucks per day. The nature of the waste includes garden waste, household waste, building rubble and waste, toxic waste and even medical waste. The ‘clients’ of this illegal industry include builders, garden services and even registered waste disposal companies.”

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He said each illegal dumping site is controlled by marshals who dictate where waste is dumped and collect payment, with some even resorting to violent intimidation tactics. In fact, he said his team was allegedly threatened at gunpoint by these marshals, reportedly determined to maintain their lucrative illegal dumping operations.

“Each day the waste is burned to make space for the next day’s loads. This is a source of air pollution as the partially burned waste smoulders all night releasing the most potent toxic smoke. Partially burned compounds in the smoke called dioxins have been linked to many diseases and health conditions. The rainwater run-off from the dumps is also a source of surface and ground water pollution.”

Elliott said they have already served the city with court papers with August 5, being their day together in court.

“Our demands are simple: stop all illegal dumping and burning of waste at all of the sites, clear and rehabilitate them and then prevent further dumping through proper enforcement of relevant by-laws.”

In Aug 2021, Elliott said they met with Pikitup’s top officials, who promised to tackle the issue. Despite a 30-page action plan presented at a January 2022 workshop, nothing was done. That’s when they lost faith in their commitment to solve the problem, he added.

When contacted for a statement, Muzi Mkhwanazi from Pikitup said the issue is currently being handled by the court and therefore, he is unable to provide any additional comments until their scheduled court appearance.

Elliott added, “We have established a non-profit company – The Kya Sand Burning Wasteland Community Forum. We are very fortunate to have an international law firm and an environmental advocate acting for us pro bono, in the public interest. However, we need funding for air and water quality testing to support our court action – and for expert witnesses in these areas.”

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