ILLEGAL dumping has been an ongoing issue throughout Durban for many years, and Glenhills in Durban North is no exception.
However, Greenwood Park Community Policing Forum’s chairman, Robin Candy has expressed outrage over the eThekwini Municipality’s alleged ‘lack of interest’ in enforcing the City’s bylaws.
The Glenhills resident said he has once again noted a spike in illegal dumping in the area, particularly at the bottom end of Harrison Drive as well as Ryde Place and Malacca Road.
And despite several attempts to report some of the incidents to the authorities he has hit a brick wall.
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“When I note that someone has dumped illegally I riffle through the stuff, and often I have found documentation which I have used to track people down. In some cases I have tried to report this to the authorities, in others I have asked the individuals or companies involved to come and remove the rubbish,” he said.
When he has tried to report the illegal activity he said the officials made no effort to collect the relevant documentation (example affidavits) or proof from him.
Ryde Place and Malacca Road have, over the years, become infamous dumping sites.
Ward councillors, residents and Candy himself have repeatedly appealed to the community to refrain from dumping along the roads as it not only poses a health risk, but also leads to the dilapidation of the area and could attract criminal elements.
With the prevalence of dumping in the area, the City spent R1.3-million to erect a 1.5 metre high concrete palisade fence (topped with barbed wire) – spanning the length of Malacca Road and Ryde Place – in 2015 in an effort to curb the problem.
However, Candy said this has not had the desired effect.
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People and companies have simply continued to dump right on the border of the fence and the opposite side of the road.
Some have even dumped deep into the vegetation to try and hide the illegal activity.
What’s more, he said the City’s lack of maintenance of the fence has, once again, enabled vagrants, criminals and illegal dumpers to access the Redhill Cemetery.
Several branches have fallen on the million Rand structure and sections of the fencing have been kicked out and removed.
The City had not commented by the time of publication.
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