There has been an outcry from the residents and business sector of the uMhlathuze Municipality about the continuous illegal dumping of building rubble and other material in the following areas; Green Belts, Streams, Parks, Municipal Verges/sides of the roads, Back yards of residential, commercial and industrial properties and others.
The City has taken a decision to introduce a system from now on that requires the land owners/developers to produce proof in a form of a receipt from the approved dump site where rubble that is generated from construction activities will be disposed. If the rubble was used as a fill material on site, the team of Building Inspectors will have records of such activity from prescribed inspections, conducted on the property during the construction phases. The owners/developers will not qualify to obtain Occupation Certificates once the construction is complete unless the proof in a form of a receipt from the approved dump site is provided. The following action will be taken against the contraveners;
- Contravention notices will be issued,
- If the evidence is obtained, a Section 56 notice (in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act) will be issued accompanied by a spot fine.
- The person caught dumping illegally will also be asked to take the rubble and dump it on an approved dump site and produce proof thereafter.
Although it is known that most illegal dumping takes place at night and sometimes the illegal dumpers would first hide the number plates of their vehicles when performing this activity. However this initiative is regarded as a step in the right direction to reduce illegal dumping of building rubble and will require inter-departmental cooperation.
Illegal dumping control programmes focus on community involvement and targeted enforcement to eliminate or reduce illegal dumping practices. The key to successfully implementing these programmes is to increase public awareness of the problem and its implications. Illegal dumping control programmes must provide for a combination of public education, citizen participation, site maintenance and authorised enforcement measures to address illegal waste disposal.
IFP STATEMENT
The City has noted with regret the unnecessary statement by the IFP Councillor on this matter. The Councillor, by virtue of being within the municipality should have been appraised of this development instead of taking it to the media and lambasting officials. We discourage our councillors to refrain from engaging the media on issues of the municipality without getting accurate information and authorisation.
ILLEGAL DUMPING FINES
The fine for illegal dumping is R1000. 00 currently and we are suggesting that this be reviewed due to increase of illegal dumping. This will be discussed with Chief Magistrate. The costs for dumping at landfill sites are as follows:
- Quartered Tyres/ Rubber R 1 812.58 per ton Including Vat
- General Domestic Waste R 141.00 per ton including Vat.
- Builders Rubble R 141.00 per ton including Vat.
- Green Waste R 141.00 per ton including Vat.
The Landfill Site opens from 07h30 to 16h00.
For more information, contact:
Mdu Ncalane
Communications Manager
Tel.: 035-907 5021
Mobile: 0762926535
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Twitter: @umhlathuzem
