Kingsburgh waste collection to be restored
City spokesperson Gugu Sisilana assures residents that refuse collection is currently taking place at affected areas.
WASTE collection in Kingsburgh has been disrupted as a result of a compactor breaking down and because of certain people blocking the Lovu landfill site.
Also read: Waste removal remains a priority
From January 15, a group of people, who are allegedly not happy about payments eThekwini Municipality makes for refuse collection contracts, blocked the Lovu landfill site’s entrance, preventing waste-collecting trucks from entering. This comes after Kingsburgh residents whose refuse wasn’t collected since January 11, which Ward 97 councillor André Beetge attributed to a shortage of compactor trucks as a result of a breakdown of the area’s compactor.
“We were on site on January 15, but they refused to discuss the details with us, instead relying on their discussions and negotiations with junior officials,” said Beetge.
Waste-collecting tenders are some of the most lucrative in the city. Between October 2022 and January 2023, eThekwini’s Department of Solid Waste awarded 20 tenders, collectively worth R144 million. Beetge said the police have been asked to maintain presence at the Lovu landfill site while the matter is being escalated to senior management to address and resolve.
“Refuse cannot be left on the streets to rot or be dumped illegally by impatient residents,” he said.
To cope with the Kingsburgh collection backlog, Beetge said a compactor is on loan from another depot, and it is being shared by both areas. A box truck is also being used to catch up on the backlog. City spokesperson Gugu Sisilana asked residents to be patient as both matters are being sorted.
“We have reported this unfortunate incident to law enforcement agencies for action and intervention. A contingency plan has been put in place by Durban Solid Waste to ensure minimum disruption to the delivery of refuse to the disposal sites. Refuse collection is currently taking place although the turnaround time may be slower than usual because of the unexpected disruptions that occurred earlier,” she said.
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