Wyebank dump closure worries small businesses
One of the small businesses owners said using an alternative dump site will be time-consuming and there will be additional petrol cost and wear & tear on their vehicles.
THE closing of the Wyebank dump to contractors and businesses came as a shock to upper Highway small businesses.
Small businesses which remove garden refuse from local houses said if they had to use the Mariannhill landfill site, they would have to cut down on the work they do because of the traffic and then wait in a queue at the dump for the weigh-bridge.
One of the small businesses owners said using the Mariannhill dump will be time-consuming and there will be additional petrol cost and wear and tear on their vehicles.
Small businesses believe that the closing of this dump will have lot of repercussions, such as chaos and more traffic on Field’s Hill and Richmond Road with trucks loaded with garden refuse.
“This will be so unfortunate as people might start dumping illegally and burning their garden refuse, which is against the law.”
Small business owners said their companies employed unskilled people, of which some of them have been with them for years.
“The closing of the Wyebank dump would mean that we can only make one trip instead of three, because of the traffic, roadworks and the queue. We only paid R61 at the Wyebank dump, but now we will be paying R161.”
The business owners believe that they should also access the dump as they are working for the residents to keep their areas and verges clean. They added that they would be using the Shongweni dump, but it was also closed.
Thulani Mbatha, eThekwini Municipality spokesman, said it was explained to the complainants that the relevant unit has done everything reasonably possible from an engineering development to maximise the airspace at Wyebank.
“It is noted that the site should have closed several years ago but was extended in the best interest of the western community. Necessary communication followed in advance to afford contractors servicing the site to take caution of the closure and factor in alternative arrangements in their business operations.
“The Wyebank garden landfill site closes on Sunday, 1 May, and will thereafter be open only to residents for garden waste. All contractors and businesses, whether small or big, are kindly required to utilise the Mariannhill landfill site,” said Mbatha.
