‘An environmental catastrophe awaits’ – Aucamp

Mismanagement in the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) has resulted in the municipality running out of something as basic as fuel.
This has led to a failure to collect refuse weekly as well as the closure of transfer stations in Emfuleni. We are heading into what borders on an environmental catastrophe. The illegal dumping sites across the municipality have only grown due to these closures.
Currently the waste department in Emfuleni is incapable of collecting refuse, dumping it correctly, and now, cannot even fill their trucks with diesel. The waste situation in Emfuleni is becoming a health hazard and innocent rate payers are punished for the failures of a reckless administration.
We have written to the municipal manager and have requested a response on how this will be prevented from happening again in future, this was not the first time and despite having hope, we do not believe that this will be the last time.
We demand that the refuse removal surcharge is removed from residents’ accounts for the time being, as refuse collection simply isn’t taking place. In addition to this, there must be a renewed focus on reopening the waste transfer stations that, at the Premier’s behest, were closed. He has effectively turned the greater Emfuleni into a massive rubbish dump, this despite our continued protest.
As an immediate measure, those responsible for the mismanagement of resources that have led to this collapse in service delivery must be suspended, pending an investigation into what led the municipality’s diesel stores running dry.