Residents and businesses are fed up with illegal dumping on Topaz Street, Hillshaven.
According to Nita Oosthuizen, one of the residents, this has been an issue for four weeks.
“We the residents have tried everything to get help from the municipality, but without luck. It is a health hazard, and the flies and stench are unbearable.
“I have been living here for over 30 years and have never experienced this before. I have health problems and because of my compromised immune system I am susceptible to diseases. I struggle with asthma and now I have to take oxygen as well,” said Oosthuizen.
Yurey Furdek, a small-business owner and resident added, “Environmental safety laws have been poorly implemented and we as the community have to accept the air pollution. People with existing medical conditions suffer as the smoke of illegally burnt and improperly handled combustible materials is unbearable. The municipality needs to improve service delivery and appoint competent people who are dedicated to improving the standards and maintenance.”
Wisemen Matshaya, Hillshaven ward councillor, said he is aware of the situation but blamed the community for not complying with the law.
He referred to the notice board at the dumping site which reads: ‘No dumping of waste outside the waste transfer yard’.
“If we work together we can do more. Currently, we are unable to resolve the issue because we do not have a machine to remove rubbish. We always hire the machine but due to financial problems we are unable to at the moment,” added Mathsaya.
