FRANCO DITERLIZZI of Bonaero Park writes:
Further to my correspondence which I was privileged to have published in the Kempton EXPRESS last week, I notice that the Ekurhuleni Metro spokesman, Mr Themba Gadebe, has once again refused to accept that it is the responsibility of the metro council to dutifully serve the residents of this city.
Responding to a complaint by Mr Danie Swanevelder of unsightly and illegal dumping of garbage on the pavement outside his home in Chloorkop , Mr Gadebe said that the council was not obliged to clean the pavement of rubbish matter because it belongs to Rand Water and therefore it is their responsibility to do so.
Maybe in future Mr Gadebe should instead be referred to in media columns as the “Apologist and Excuse Maker of Ekurhuleni ” instead of “spokesman”. His prime mandate seems to be obfuscation and justifying the council’s shortcomings.
It may well be correct that the council is not obliged to remove illegally dumped garbage from the privately owned locality mentioned. But I think he is talking nonsense. The metro is certainly tasked to enforce city by-laws that would include illegal dumping of unsightly garbage, which could also be a health hazard attracting all manner of disease-carrying vermin.
They certainly do have a responsibility to ensure compliance of health by-laws, even inside residents’ properties. Ideally, they should have roving council inspectors enforcing compliance.
In this particular instance, if they don’t feel obligated to remove the garbage in Chloorkop, then the council should issue an order for the offending owner to do so or face harsh financial penalties.
In the event of non-compliance, apart from a hefty punitive fine, the council could instruct their contractors to effect the garbage removal and then charge the owner for that service rendered. That’s what administrations in well run municipalities with the best interests of their constituents routinely do.
