Yellowwood Park’s Kuben seeks to curb illegal dumping
The book elaborates on more than just illegal dumping as it also refers to the underlying causes as well as the effects of this common crime.
ILLEGAL dumping may be considered unlawful on the account of the harms it causes to the environment, however it has found a way to become a part of the everyday reality of many South Africans. Yellowwood Park environmental activist and new author, Kuben Samie, is on a mission to address corruption and declining levels of service delivery, socio-economic imbalances and environmental injustices that continue to rot local communities, in his book ‘Something is Rotten in Durban’.
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The book elaborates on more than just illegal dumping as it also refers to the underlying causes as well as the effects of this common crime. “The book reveals shortcomings within national government departments, environmental governance, the lack and misuse of resources within the municipality when it comes to waste management and therefore impacting illegal dumping. It’s the exception rather than the norm for government departments to work together cooperatively to tackle the issue of illegal dumping. Rising consumerism and increasing urbanization, combined with an ostensibly dysfunctional enforcement capability, corruption and declining levels of service delivery, is a recipe for disaster. Add to this, the serious socio-economic imbalances and environmental justice issues inherited from South Africa’s apartheid and colonial past which still persist today, and it is plain to see that we cannot overcome these challenges if we stay stuck in a “business as usual” mindset,” he said.
With a degree in Zoology from the University of Durban-Westville, a Law degree from the University of South Africa and 12 years experience in the environmental field as a senior environmentalist within the eThekwini Municipality, the book which has been carefully researched from 2013 includes, news reports, policies, his personal experiences in the field and environmental law. He starts out by discussing how the untimely death of three year-old Jordan Lewis due to exposure to toxic waste chemicals, is proof that environmental laws in South Africa and the implementation thereof, are failing the most vulnerable individuals of society. “Her death is confirmation that the unlawful disposal of waste has become problematic and uncontrollable. Our systemic inability to effectively enforce environmental legislation and bylaws has resulted in the proliferation of illegal waste dumping and other unethical waste management practices in South Africa,” he shared.
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According to Kuben, civil society is empowered by environmental law to actively do something about this issue. The environmental activist encourages a collective approach by the national, local and municipal government, communities, businesses and organisations to come together in tackling the issue head-on by tacking an affirmative stand against illegal dumping. “The issue is even prevalent in my very own community of Yellowwood Park. The intention is to target civil society and civil servants to try and adopt an activist mindset. Activism means to walk the walk rather than talk the talk when you see something wrong happen. There may be times we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time we fail to protest against it. We can do it. We must do it.”
To get a copy of the book, contact Kuben Samie on 083-583-1852 or order on Amazon.com via the link https://www.amazon.com/dp/0620784547.
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