Litter is piled up in the streets near streams and rivers which are said to feed into the Hennops River. Photo: Bennitt Bartl
The Tshwane metro has yet to respond to concerns over the dumping of garbage and litter in Olievenhoutbosch.
The issue was raised this week by The Reeds, Thatchfield and Rooihuiskraal residents association (ReThRo) member Tinus Lotz, reports Centurion Rekord.
Lotz said the garbage was a large contributing factor to the pollution of the Hennops river, and that efforts by residents to clean further downstream would be in vain.
ALSO READ: Pretoria residents outraged at condition of Hennops river
Lotz, who employs workers staying in Olievenhoutbosch, accompanied Centurion Rekord to the area on Friday morning.
Several streets in and around the settlement were flooded as a result of rainfall, but garbage was still visible on the sidewalks, in bushes near the river and in stormwater drains.
Friday’s rainfall increased concerns that litter would end up in the river. Photo: Bennitt Bartl
In some areas, garbage piled up beyond knee level while cars in the streets manoeuvred around piles of litter.
While it was clear that some residents were trying to make an effort to clean the area, the sheer amount of garbage lying next to the road could be “disheartening”, according to Lotz.
“All around Olievenhoutbosch there are rivers and streams which feed directly into the Hennops river,” he said.
“Some individuals actually charge residents money to dump their waste only to bring it here to Olievenhoutbosch. This rubbish gets dumped next to these rivers and streams. It is the origin of the problem, and until it is addressed, the river will remain polluted.”
At the beginning of this year, the metro led a clean-up of the Hennops river at South Street (much further downstream).
The Sunderland Ridge and Baviaans sewage plants were blamed by the metro at the time for the increased pollution.
Centurion residents have held a number of clean-up operations at Riverside Park behind the Supersport Park stadium in West Avenue in an effort to clean the river.
Yet another clean-up was held at the weekend to clean a section of the river next to Wierda Road.
However, Lotz believes these projects will continue while dumping in Olievenhoutbosch is ignored.
“The people who stay there need to be educated, but we also need action from the metro,” he said.
The metro did not respond to requests for comment at the time of going to press.
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