Illegal dumping has reached epic proportions in Randfontein and the Randfontein Local Municipality is not doing anything about it.
This was evident during a recent outing with DA Ward Councillor, Sina Erasmus in Randgate.
According to Erasmus, the problem will persist for as long as Randfontein residents continue to look the other way.
“Everyone knows our municipality does not enforce bylaws and they think that this gives them the right to dump their rubbish wherever they want to.
“I cannot understand how people can just dump their rubbish in our velds and other open spaces when we have a perfectly good municipal rubbish dump in Randfontein.”
At one popular dumping spot in Langerman Street, the Herald found rubbish of every imaginable kind, including used nappies and cold drink and alcohol bottles strewn all over the area.
“I receive so many complaints about this issue from people in my ward, but the fact is that it is residents who dump here.
“Our municipality’s unwillingness to enforce their own bylaws make it impossible for me to do anything about the dumping.”
“It is already a near-impossible task to get them to come and clean up these illegal dumping spots.”
The municipality has, despite the accusations against them, once again warned people that illegal dumping will not be tolerated.
“People need to be aware that illegal dumping will not be tolerated in Randfontein because it is an offense against the municipal bylaws,” says Randfontein municipal spokesperson, Lucky Chiya.
“We have designated areas where people can dump their rubbish and we expect them to make use of them.
“Should they be caught engaging illegal dumping, they must rest assured that they will face the music.”
Asked about why there are so many complaints about the municipality not enforcing bylaws, Chiya says that councilors themselves are the ones who design policy and therefore they should be the ones to enforce it.
“Councilors need to inform people from their respective wards about the repercussions of illegal dumping instead of complaining to the media at every chance they get.
“They need to know that is their duty, not the municipality’s duty, to call people to order when they see them engaging in such things.
“They must know by now that they have to champion the plight of the people and if they fail to govern the people in their own communities then they should relinquish their power,” says Chiya.
But then is it not the Municipality’s ‘job’ to make sure that there are places where rubbish can be taken to?? Also to have regular collection days IN EVERY AREA??