Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM) says arson is to blame for the most recent fire at the Luipaardsvlei Landfill Site.
MCLM’s communications officer Refilwe Mahlangu said the municipality notes with grave concern the ongoing fires at the Luipaardsvlei Landfill Site and strongly condemns what they have identified as an act of arson.
• Read the initial article: VIDEO: Smoke in the air: Residents fired up … for all the wrong reasons
She added this has not only caused significant damage to the site but is also exacerbating risks to public health, safety and environmental well-being.
“After working around the clock with minimal resources to fully extinguish a protracted fire at the landfill site such reckless and illegal behaviour is intolerable. Nevertheless, the municipality is working closely with the police as well as Public Safety to ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” Mahlangu warned.
“With the landfill site being a critical public facility that assists residents and the municipality to effectively and responsibly manage waste and disposal thereof, this arson incident not only disrupts the provision of essential waste services but also poses dangers to communities in that dangerous fumes are released leading to fires that threaten the safety of nearby homes and businesses, while also causing long-term damage to the environment,” she added.
Mahlangu concluded their team is implementing all necessary safety protocols to contain the fire and mitigate any potential harm to surrounding areas.
The site is temporarily closed until further notice and a notice will be issued once it is safe and ready for public use.
