The East London high court has ordered Buffalo City municipality to immediately clean and decontaminate an illegal dumpsite in Egoli in East Bank, East London.
This follows several requests from irate residents to have the place cleaned up and protected from further dumping by callous polluters.
Community members in the past few years have complained of unsavoury people lurking near the illegal dumpsite in Da Silver Street.
Earlier this month acting judge Lindiwe Rusi ruled in favour of the residents and instructed BCM to comply with section 11(4) of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008, as soon as possible.
“The respondent is ordered to immediately clean and decontaminate the illegal dumpsites and any and all waste, including solid, human waste and garden waste situated at or along Farm House 1 Da Silver Street, Egoli.”
Rusi went further, ordering BCM to provide a plan to ensure that the dumpsites did not revert to a filthy state.
“Once the rubbish and waste is removed, cleaned, decontaminated, the respondent (must) put measures in place to prevent any further illegal dumping, including but not limited to erecting signs, fencing or barricading and providing an adequate number of skip bins.”
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya had not responded to questions sent on Wednesday by print deadline.
Resident Illona Lewis said they had to endure the stench of rotting carcasses and other foul waste “over the past few years”.
“There are a few dumping sites here. One of the residents wanted to clean up here, and start a garden.
“She has already been to the municipality to get assistance for a cleanup; people just dump everything here.”
Lewis said residents lived in fear of rodents and the hazardous waste lurking in the dumpsite.
“This is illegal because it happens at the back of our houses. This is unhealthy and dangerous. We always warn our children not to play there. The snakes come into our yards because of the dumping site.”
East Bank community leader Anton King said the problem was widespread across all communities in the area.
“The whole area of Vergenoeg, Egoli, and Muvango has a problem with illegal dumping.
“There are certain items that the residents dump that are not collected by the municipal trucks, like old cupboards and beds. It’s not things that people can put in black bags.
"BCM should provide the communities with refuse skips,” King said.
“There is another illegal dumpsite next to the temporary housing structures. That place is clean today, and dirty the next day because we do not have skips in the area.
“We had skips in the area and they were taken away because people dumped dead dogs there.”
He said the East Bank communities were neglected and severely polluted.
“The municipality brings more people to the areas through the housing and temporary housing projects and they do not make a way for these extra people to dispose of their garbage.
“Our children are getting sick and are full of pimples and sores from playing in these illegal dumping areas.”
Reacting to the high court judgment, King said: “If they really do come and clean, then the residents are willing to assist.
“The municipality must involve us and not only come to clean when it is close to election time and then forget our problems after they are voted in.”
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