The infamous Randfontein Dumping site has been dubbed an extremely dangerous place.
This after the Herald visited the site with Johan Botha, a Randfontein business owner, on Thursday, 15 February.
Botha contacted the Herald, complaining that when he and others from his business went there to dump garbage from the business, they had difficulty getting close to the site. Botha said the municipality does not collect the company’s garbage, so they need to take it there themselves.
“It is also extremely dangerous,” Botha said.
Danger has been lurking at the dumping site for a long time, and last Thursday, 8 February, a woman was killed there by her boyfriend, in an alleged domestic dispute.
The Herald has reported on the state of the dumping site previously, but en route there, it became clear that the situation is getting worse, with garbage being dumped long before one even reaches the official dumping site.
Botha said the machine that is used for compacting the garbage has been out of order for six months, but the supervisor at the site said the machine was repaired three weeks ago.
Read more: Gang-rape and abuse at R’fontein dump site
There are far more shacks than before, numerous very thin dogs, and a large number of pigs, and the site is clearly an extreme health hazard. The Herald contacted the SPCA and informed them about the animals. They will investigate the matter.
The Herald also contacted the site manager, but he declined to comment, and referred us to Tshidiso Thlaripe, the spokesperson for the Executive Mayor of the Rand West Local City Municipality, Mzi Khumalo.
Thlaripe said he will gather all the facts and get back to the Herald on the matter.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (please remember to include your contact details in the email) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
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