Community tackles illegal dumping on Roadhouse Crescent
The area, under the Connaught Bridge, is used by the collectors to sort cardboard and recycle tin cans and glass but is also a common site for illegal dumping.
FOR the last few years, the area of land used by the cardboard collectors on Roadhouse Crescent has become an illegal dumping target.
The area, under the Connaught Bridge, is used by the collectors to sort cardboard and recycle tin cans and glass.
In February last year, the non-profit organisation (NPO), Green Corridors; the City’s Parks Department; Durban Solid Waste, the Umgeni Estuary Conservancy; and the ward 36 councillor, Shontel de Boer; revealed plans to formalise the area by installing a fence, employing a security guard (who is one of the collectors) and cleaning up the site.
Despite the plans, illegal dumping continued until a group of concerned residents from the Umgeni Park Neighbourhood Watch, and other members of the community, gathered to clean up the area. This initiative took two days to complete.
Also Read: Plan to clean-up Roadhouse Crescent
One of the residents, Kealyn Olivier, explained that the situation underneath the bridge had become ‘untenable’.
“Every time you drove past, you’d see rubbish piling up. We approached the cardboard collectors and said we would help them clean up and have the site in pristine condition. It was a hard slog but, within two days, we cleared the area. We appealed to the residents of Umgeni Park, who were only too happy to help. They donated black bags and kindly donated some food for the collectors. We then held a braai for them after cleaning up,” he explained.
Olivier said several tons of rubbish was removed from the site, which borders an eThekiwni municipal dump site.
“Through the clean-up, we heard from the cardboard collectors who said community members or passersby would arrive after the dump is closed and pay them R20 to R30 to dump there. So, in essence, it was creating a problem. We’ve formed a good relationship with the guys here. They make an honest living and are trying their best to uplift themselves.
Also Read: uMhlanga security trust tackles illegal dumping with clean-up
“We’ve also made an appeal to residents to give the collectors their cardboard and cans so they can be recycled. Going forward, we’ve asked them to maintain the space and they are willing to help out,” Olivier said.
The local resident added they found copious amounts of old cardboard, conduits, piping and domestic refuse during the clean-up.
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