Dumping in Bonteheuwel continues to increase despite efforts by residents and the City of Cape Town to tackle the problem.
The City is caught in a vicious cycle, cleaning up about 10 of the worst dump sites twice a month, says ward councillor Angus Mckenzie.
Teak Road Park, a field between Arcadia Primary and High schools, and the entire Bonteheuwel CBD are the worst of those hot spots, he says.
Mayco member for water and waste Xanthea Limberg said the City spent R110 million to R120 million a year clearing illegal dumping.
The dumping of everything from old furniture and kitchen appliances to household waste was a health hazard and children couldn’t play in the park because of it, said Mr Mckenzie.
The nearest dump sites for Bonteheuwel are in Belhar, De Grendel/Parow, Hanover Park, Kensington and Ravensmead.
“People just don’t care about where they dump their garbage. They are hampering the environment, and their own children are suffering because they cannot play in the parks. If we clean up in the morning, within 12 hours dumping starts again. Every open space is being used as dumping spot, and people need
to start caring about the environment,” Mr Mckenzie said.
Residents often paid drug addicts or vagrants to dump their old appliances or furniture as it was too much effort for them to dispose of it legally, he claimed.
“This needs to stop. They are feeding the addicts’ habit. If each person can dispose of their rubbish in a legal manner, we won’t have a dumping problem,” he said.
Abie Clayton, the chairman of the Community of Bonteheuwel Association, said the City should place skips in the area to stop people dumping on vacant land.
“If they do this and people are made aware of it, they will throw their dirt in the bins.”
He said the dumping problem was very bad in Bramble Way.
“Rats and mice and cockroaches are coming out of there and breeding. All sorts of infestation happens there and that goes into people’s homes. Residents should call the City to remove their dirt and not just dump it on vacant land,” he said.
Ms Limberg said the City wanted to establish more dump sites, but that depended on having the necessary budget and the right site.