ILLEGAL dumping remains a challenge in Aquadene as residents continue to dispose of their refuse at greenbelt areas, parks and vacant plots.
Community leader, Luyanda Msane said despite numerous attempts to deter the illegal activity, vacant areas in the suburb continue to be easy targets and hotspots for dumping.
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The problem has escalated with garden refuse, building rubble and household rubbish being disposed of in public areas, posing a negative impact on the environment. There is also a terrible stench left behind for residents living near those areas.
‘This is an environmental hazard that must be addressed with urgency,’ said Msane. We are appealing to residents to refrain from throwing their waste in public places or in the bushes near greenbelt areas.
‘We understand that there are no skips in the suburbs and people have no other means of getting rid of other waste that cannot be put into their green bins. But illegal dumping is not an option.
‘At this stage, we are engaging with the City of uMhlathuze on options of how and where to dump rubble and other refuse and encourage community members to take their waste to the landfill sites.
‘Our appeal to the city has been for them to take action by removing the illegal dumping, erecting warning signs against dumping and to enforce penalties for disobeying the laws.
‘We are finalising a campaign to create awareness on this matter and encourage members to keep our city clean and litter-free.
‘We have noted that skips have not been kept clean in the past and they have since had to be removed from the suburbs. We are looking at other ways to curb this dumping problem,’ said Msane.
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