Lasting action is needed to solve a growing problem with illegal dumping in Bonteheuwel, say residents.
Most of the rubbish is household waste and includes everything from old mattresses to appliances stripped of any parts worth selling for scrap, says resident Dillon Grever.
Those who dumped illegally cared nothing for their community and neighbours, he said, adding that the root of the problem was residents who relied on drug addicts to cart away their waste.
“To take your waste away from your own home and dump it where someone else lives is disgraceful. Our people need to have a change in attitude towards dumping. It poses health issues for everyone, and the major concern is the waste being a fire hazard.”
According to ward councillor Angus McKenzie, the dumping hot spots are in Bluegum, Kersboom, Blombos, Als, Apricot, Vaalbos, Teak and Camellia streets, and Bonteheuwel Avenue.
“There is a number of clean-up campaigns happening in the area, but the attitude some people have is that they can just dump because it is normal,” he said. “The money that is used to clean up dumping spots can be used on other important projects such as the upgrade of sewerage systems or more youth and employment programmes.”
The culprits had no respect for their communities, Mr McKenzie said.
“The more you clean, the more they dump. It’s like cleaning the space makes more space for dirt. People are dumping 70% household dirt and about 30% rubble. Residents are extremely irritated by this because there are legal dumping depots so close by in Langa, and in Parow.”
Soraya Salie, chairwoman of the Bonteheuwel Walking Ladies, encouraged residents to plant gardens on land vulnerable to dumping and take ownership of their streets.
Illegal dumping degraded the area and threatened public health, she said.
“If each resident can just make sure that it is clean in front of their own house and maybe a few houses down, we won’t have this issue. The City cleans every week, but it happens again so residents cannot blame the City,” she said.
“Dumping is really a horrible, disgusting issue. I want to tell residents and companies to stop paying people to illegally dump their rubbish or rubble.”