FRUSTRATED with the almost daily continuation of illegal dumping on Ryde Place and Malacca Road, Glenhills residents have started a petition to close the Malacca Road municipal dump.
Some residents of Orthman Road, Ryde Place and Terrence Place have added their names to the petition in the hopes of addressing the illegal dumping, most of which occurs with 100 metres of the dump site.
Residents have told Northglen News the million Rand project to erect a 1.5 metre high concrete palisade fence (topped with barbed wire) – spanning the length of Malacca Road and Ryde Place to help with security and curb illegal dumping has failed.
Read also: Glenhills resident proposes changes for Malacca Road dump
Kerry Haylett who started the petition, said residents of Malacca Informal Settlement were partly to blame for the illegal dumping as were contractors and residents illegally dumping material along the road.
“I had actually mentioned the idea to ward councillor, Pete Graham, who suggested I get signatures for residents who were for the idea of closing the dump. He felt a petition would help in getting the eThekwini Municipality to recognise the scope of the problem. I’ve already managed to secure signatures from residents on three roads and we encourage other residents who are keen to also sign the petition.
“I’m scared that if we do close the dump it may prompt more illegal dumping to take place if the site is left open. Most of the residents I’ve spoken to are frustrated by the illegal dumping. We feel the land could perhaps be better served as a continuation of the Redhill Cemetery, which is directly behind the dump,” she explained.
Related story: Councillor calls for action on illegal dumping in Glenhills
Fellow resident, June Smit, added that residents had also complained of being harassed at the dump.
“If you have an open top bakkie, the minute you reach the intersection of Malacca Road and Ryde Place, you are harassed by some residents from the settlement who encourage you to offload your rubbish with them. There is also a few residents who accost you as you drive into the dump looking through the rubbish. I feel closing the dump may be ideal. We wouldn’t have proposed this motion if the dump was properly maintained and the security at the dump was better,” she said.
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