Launch of campaign to curb illegal dumping

THE scourge of illegal dumping in and around Richards Bay has sparked much debate among residents and business owners, who for months have felt the City of uMhlathuze has done little to put a stop to the illegal activity.

Ward 2 Councillor Christo Botha said his ward, covering Meerensee, the beaches, Alton, the CBD, Wildenweide and half of Veldenvlei, takes the brunt of the problem.

‘Illegal dumping is a huge problem, as Richards Bay has vast green belt and other open space areas where illegal dumping takes place,’ said Botha.

‘These areas are very difficult to monitor and police.’

He said apart from illegal dumps posing a major health risk, they also depress the value of surrounding land and neighbourhoods.

Illegally dumped waste in Richards Bay is not limited to one industry and includes household and garden waste, building rubble, tyres, chemical drums, paint tins and asbestos.

ALSO READ: Illegal dumping blitz

Botha said the perpetrators are people who do not care for the environment. It is also the result of a lack of public awareness.

There are both solid waste and nuisance by-laws relating to illegal dumping.

Botha said the current fine for illegal dumping of R1 000 should be increased to R5 000 to serve as a real deterrent.

‘As Ward Councillor I am very concerned about the escalation in illegal dumping and what it does to the environment,’ said Botha.

‘This sentiment is shared by Ward 2 committee members, so we decided to embark on an awareness campaign to address the issues.

‘We hope this will assist in systematically reducing the number of illegal dumps.’

Zululand Power Ads has sponsored the visual campaign which goes live tomorrow (Friday) and will be aired at a number of public hot spots, including CareDoc Medical Centre, Medicross Dental (Calypso Centre), Richard Bay Country Club, Porky’s Restaurant, Link Pharm (Lakeside Centre), the municipal vehicle licensing centre and municipal rates hall.

‘It is our hope that these adverts will reach many of our citizens and that this initiative will create an awareness of a better caring society.’

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