For more than four years, two illegal landfill businesses in Shakaskraal have been polluting the town and endangering residents.
They have to endure constant smoke and unbearable smells from the sites, which has been a serious issue for the community and surrounding areas.
In 2021, after the Courier brought the issue to light the year prior, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) ordered the sites to stop operations, but the dumping continued. The lack of action was raised again by the Courier in 2021 and 2022.
Ward councillor Doeshie Govender, who lives nearby, said he had raised the matter with the KwaDukuza municipality.
“The municipality visited the sites and issued notices to the owners, but they are still operating illegally. People also enter these sites at night to dump trash,” said Govender.
Chairperson of the Dolphin Coast Residents and Ratepayers Association’s environmental subcommittee, Brian Pottinger, said they had been concerned for some time about illegal waste sites in Shakaskraal causing air pollution from fires and leaching into water courses.
“Earlier this year we investigated two sites and provided evidence to both provincial and KwaDukuza authorities,” said Pottinger.
He said they are now considering other ways to enforce environmental laws and protect residents’ health.
Dolphin Coast Conservancy chairperson, Di Jones, is concerned about the impact of the illegal dumping site on Shakaskraal residents, who are suffering the most from the air pollution. She emphasised the frustration over the lack of law enforcement and the issue of zoning laws not being enforced, stating if that was done, operations such as these would be forced to comply and not be allowed to operate in an area zoned residential.
“There is no oversight on what gets dumped at the site, so anything can be burned there, potentially making residents sick. Shakaskraal is close to the Umhlali River, and with this site operating, groundwater is being polluted. Poor water quality could potentially contaminate fish and also any humans who would otherwise be able to use water from the river. Something must be done,” said Jones.
Licensed landfills are strictly regulated and monitored to protect the environment, with proper lining and walls to prevent leaks. In contrast, illegal waste sites lack these safety measures, posing significant risks to public health and the environment, even with small amounts of hazardous waste. In contrast, the New Guelderland landfill site, KwaDukuza’s only legal landfill, has a 13-layer non-permeable lining to prevent contamination of the surrounding environment.
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