Sharonlea dumper brought to book
SHARONLEA – Workers for the suspect were recorded on video, by a resident, dumping an unconfirmed black chemical substance in the park area.
Residents banded together to bring a suspect to justice after they witnessed an incident of illegal dumping in the Sharonlea Spruit on 6 November.
Workers for the suspect were recorded on video, by a resident, while they were dumping an unconfirmed black chemical substance in the park area leading to the Spruit.
WATCH:
https://www.facebook.com/CICA.CrimeIntel/videos/727227414427157/?t=0
Ward 101 councillor Dalu Cele said, “This, in my opinion, is one of the worst kinds of illegal dumping. It is a chemical substance that may poison the entire river system, and who knows how much damage that could have caused.”
The spruit on Witdoring Road meets the Klein Jukskei River.
Cele continued, “We are always doing clean-ups in our open areas, and we very recently had our annual Spruit Day. It is highly disheartening to see the hard work of our community members being undone by illegal dumpers.”
In the video, the number plate of the vehicle could be seen, allowing the City to track and take legal action against the owner of the vehicle.
“The gentleman who took the video is the main hero in all of this. I used his video and other info provided by community members to follow up with the relevant City authorities, and with the help of other City officials, we were able to bring the suspect to book,” said Cele.
The Metro police impounded the suspect’s vehicle, and the Department of Environmental Services surveyed the area to assess the amount of damage that had been done.
From there, the department will determine if there is enough evidence to lay a criminal charge against the suspect, and the suspect has been given a R10 000 fine by the City and has also been ordered to clean up their mess.
MMC for Public Safety Michael Sun encouraged community members to report incidents of illegal dumping.
“I urge all residents to take clear photos showing the culprit, the vehicle with its registration number, the waste dumped, as well as the time and date of the incident and Whatsapp them to the hotline number, or call. All tip-offs remain anonymous.
“We are going to engage with the judiciary and request that such offenders not only pay a fine but also be given alternative sentences such as community service, clean-ups of public spaces and the like,” said Sun.
Details: Illegal dumping hotline 082 779 1361.
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