Pretoria - Clearing illegal dumping sites remains a costly exercise for the City of Tshwane, which was forced to spend R143.6 million in the last financial year on the programme.
MMC for Environment and Agriculture Management, Katlego Mathebe, expressed worry that illegal dumping was an ongoing problem with negative financial implications for the City.
She said: “Every year, the City clears thousands of tons of waste from illegal dumping hotspots. It spends millions on resource mobilisation to clear illegal dumping spots while the money could be better used for service delivery.”
She called on communities to work with the City to combat illegal dumping and maintain the general cleanliness of the capital city’s streets and public spaces.
“Dumping of waste in open fields, including construction rubble along roads and in streams, is unacceptable human behaviour that will be punished harshly. I encourage residents and establishments that generate a lot of waste to apply for additional City waste bins or for the bulk waste service by email at [email protected]. This enables the City to maximise its efforts in providing a clean, healthy and safe environment while ensuring cost-effective waste management strategies,” Mathebe said.
Illegal dumping, she said, poses health hazards and threatens biodiversity, as animals and plants bear the brunt. “It also decreases the property values of surrounding communities. The
City has installed signage in regions to deter offenders from dumping. I appeal to residents to get involved in our monthly clean-ups hosted under the Tswelopele Campaign and to join the Adopt-a-Spot programme to beautify our open spaces,” Mathebe said.
Report illegal dumping to the Tshwane Metro Police at 012 358 7095.
Pretoria News