Horses graze on plastic as illegal dumping in Ermelo reaches new heights

WESSELTON – Upon entering town, one is confronted with a disheartening sight.

Stretching across the landscape, mountains of litter are seen, accompanied by the stench of sewage.

Despite relentless coverage by Highvelder on the issue of illegal dumping, it appears little has changed.

The experience of driving through Wesselton mirrors that of driving along the access road to the local dumpsite, except in this case, along this road there are homes and residents.

Those who dump illegally demonstrate a complete disregard for the environment and indirectly for their own well-being, as they are forced to live amid these unsightly trash heaps.

It raises the question of whether more can be done to educate people on proper waste disposal or to establish arrangements with local councillors to ensure proper refuse removal being carried out in the event of municipal inaction.

Highvelder photographed horses foraging through the waste in search of something edible, even resorting to consuming plastic bags.

Meanwhile, across the open fields, thousands of papers flutter, various discarded materials in the field reflect in the sun, and scattered animal skulls serve as a somber reminder of the impact this dumping has on the environment.

Highvelder has previously reached out to Mandla Zwane, Msukaligwa Local Municipality’s spokesperson, about illegal dumping. He said, “Illegal dumping is prevalent in public open spaces, some caused by construction and demolition waste illegally dumped through tipper trucks. An example thereof is in Wessels Road and Pet Street. In areas where access is a challenge, the municipality through assistance from the district is gravelling access roads. Awareness campaigns are conducted by the municipality and the district, but media houses are urged to assist in raising awareness on the effect of illegal dumping on the environment and on human health.”

Read the complete article in Highvelder.