SECUNDA – Mr Benzi Soko, chief of staff in the office of the executive mayor of Govan Mbeki Municipality, said the municipality has been unable to collect and remove rubbish over the past few weeks in some parts of its towns due to logistic problems.
“We are working around the clock to address the backlog with the very limited resources that we have,” said Mr Soko.
“The municipality apologises for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
This was Mr Soko’s response after the newspaper had asked him a week ago for comment about residents who dumped refuse bags in front of municipal entrances on Sunday, 16 September, and why refuse had not been removed.
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Residents were fed up with their refuse not being removed for weeks and decided to take matters into their own hands and dumped their refuse bags at the entrances where municipal officials park.
Municipal refuse removal workers cleaned these up first thing on Monday morning, 17 September.
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The newspaper also asked Mr Soko about the trucks that are apparently not operational, but he did not answer this question.
He did however provide the following information about refuse:
• Residents must firstly repair, reduce or re-use waste generated or taking part in recycling initiatives to minimise the volumes of general waste entering the waste disposal sites.
• Households receive a once per week refuse removal service between Monday and Friday on a pre-determined day as per the refuse removal schedule.
• Residential collection service is provided between 6am and 10pm. In order to avoid service disruptions, household and garden refuse must be placed at the curb before 6am on the scheduled collection day.
• Refuse not in containers or bin liners (black refuse bags) will not be collected. It is vital that all refuse is in a tightly sealed refuse bag.
• The refuse is collected manually and you must follow the 50/50 rule: A municipal employee must be able to pick up the bag using one hand without the bag tearing.
• All refuse must be placed on the edge of the travelled portion of the roadway.
• On the rare occasions when extreme weather occurs, continue to leave your container or bin liner out on the kerbside as the waste will be collected as soon as possible.
• On occasions where refuse is not collected per schedule as a result of vehicle breakages, the service will be rendered as soon as possible up to a maximum period of one week.
• Spilled waste as a result of scavenging or animals, torn bags or overturned bins will not be cleaned and removed. Spilled waste or excess waste will be placed back in the bin by the resident.
• Refuse must not be stacked over water or electricity meters, under low hanging branches or within one metre of fire hydrants.
• A total number of six 85 Litre black refuse bins, bin liners/ bags, will be removed per household per week. These refuse bins, bin liners or bags include garden waste.
• A total number of two 240 Litre wheelie bins will be emptied per household per week, provided the waste is containerised into a maximum of six bin liners.
Garden waste
• Garden waste means waste that is generated as a result of normal gardening activities such as grass cutting, leaves, plants and flowers and does not include branches, soil, rock, earth or building or demolition waste.
• Residents are encouraged to recycle garden waste as it can be turned into compost.
• Garden waste can be transported by the resident or own service provider directly to one of the municipal disposal sites situated in Bethal, Kinross, Leandra and Secunda.
• Branches and bulky garden waste will not be collected by the municipality.
