Councillor’s fight continues against illegal dumping continues
FAIRLAND – Ward 98 councillor Beverley Weweje inspected the extent of illegal dumping and the high number of displaced people in the Market Street Park area.
Ward 98 councillor Beverley Weweje visited the Fairland Pikitup garden refuse site and the Market Street Park to inspect the extent of illegal dumping and the high number of displaced people in the area and to formulate a plan to fix it.
The area is used by residents to dispose of garden refuse, but some individuals who do not realise that the site is solely for that purpose end up dumping their other waste outside the property when they are instructed to go to a general waste facility.
According to Weweje, the majority of illegally dumped refuse comes from community members.
She said, “When will people start taking ownership of the environment that surrounds them? People need to stop breaking the by-laws that are put in place to ensure our environment stays clean. Each year, millions of taxpayers’ money goes to cleaning up after those who have dumped and littered illegally. Following proper procedure when disposing of waste will ensure that our country remains beautiful for all, and money and time spent cleaning up from illegal dumping will be put to better use.
With easy to access waste dumped nearby, the area is in constant use by displaced persons.
Representatives from the Department of Social Development were on-site to aid in finding alternative accommodation for the displaced people.
A further issue highlighted by Weweje is a nearby makeshift taxi rank.
Weweje said, “Taxi drivers use this area to wash their taxis, as well as using it for their ablution facilities, when there already is a holding area nearby. In 2016, we invited the Department of Transport to help us with this issue, but there has been no success. I have sent a request for another meeting.”
The Metro police were also on-site to assist in the cleaning of the inside and outside of the garden site, taxis parking in the area, attending to by-law infringements including the selling of perishables
Weweje said, “The state of the area is a severe problem. We have illegal dumping, graffiti, and even human faeces along the wall. This is all in an area where people are selling food, and using the area for their ablutions.”
Representatives from Pikitup were on-site to assess security surrounding the garden refuse site.
Weweje added, “We need community members to be our eyes and ears. If you see somebody dumping waste in an area that they are not supposed to, report it immediately.”
To report incidents of illegal dumping, you can call 0860 562 874 or 0860-JOBURG.
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