Meeting date: 17/03/2017
Councillor van Reenen reported that a meeting was held with Mr Hlongwane – Manager, Cleansing: Solid Waste Department to discuss the motion submitted to the Subcouncil on 16 February 2017, which included alternative solutions to manage the illegal dumping within Subcouncil 4.
Mr Hlongwane presented the meeting with a summary of how the Solid Waste Department manages illegal dumping and the challenges that are experienced to combat the culture of illegal dumping. In terms of the motion, the following issues were addressed:
•Cleansing services;
•Ward Allocations; and
•Illegal Dumping.
The City does not make provision for waste skips, and currently there is no term tender in place for the purchasing of waste skips. The recommendation of the motion, to provide waste skips, can therefore not be complied with. Secondly, he enquired where the funding would be sourced from as the department is not in a position to fund the provision of waste skips. He also highlighted the risks in terms of the unintended risks of placing waste skips.
He said that if the roll-out of skips are successful in Subcouncil 4, it would set a precedent and other Subcouncils might require the same service and the department does not have the necessary resources or funding to sustain requests of this nature.
He requested that Councillors note that the department can only intervene after June 2017, as it is anticipated that the term tender process will be concluded by then.
Mr Hlongwane highlighted the cleaning services that the department does not render:
•Stormwater drains;
•Rivers and canals;
•Demarcated parking areas/bays;
•Sport stadiums; and
•Cemeteries.
Mr Hlongwane concluded in saying that the Cleansing Unit may provide the waste skip, but the Collections Department, would be responsible for enclosing the facility.
Mr Hlongwane reported that in terms of the clearing of illegal dumping the department is 30 months behind schedule, due to the magnitude of illegal dumping occurring around the City.
Cllr van Reenen thanked the officials for the report. She explained that the motion requires solutions for the dumping within the area, if not in the current financial year, then in the next financial year. She asked that the department identify solutions to combat the illegal dumping problem.
Mr Hlongwane shared the sentiments of Cllr van Reenen. However, he explained that the problem of illegal dumping cannot be resolved by officials only. He said it is crucial that communities partake in alleviating the problem of illegal dumping. Mr Hlongwane also raised the fact that City officials’ lives are threatened by the transgressors of illegal dumping, when the area is cleaned or when they try to educate residents on illegal dumping.
Cllr Esau proposed that consideration be given to establish more drop-off sites within the areas, with extended operating hours, to possibly curb illegal dumping. He said that illegal dumping normally occurs close to sunset, when drop-off sites have closed as per the prescribed operating hours.
Mr Hlongwane said that the drop-off facilities should be in a 7km radius and the department has acknowledged that the current situation is not ideal in terms of combatting illegal dumping. He said that residents who experience challenges with transporting waste from dwellings, cannot travel with a 240L wheelie bin to a waste drop-off site. Due to this impracticality it leads to emptying the wheelie bin at the nearest possible open space. Mr Hlongwane said there are no boundaries in terms of solid waste infrastructure, residents of Ward 25 can dispose of their waste at any waste drop-off site within the City of Cape Town.
Cllr Esau also raised his concerns in terms of the growing number of residential panel beating businesses operating from premises of homes. He says that this is a problem, since they dump their waste and excess materials on open spaces, and this contributes to the problem of illegal dumping.
Mr Hlongwane explained that Solid Waste has a Bylaw that governs the storage and the disposal of waste. He said that the department has a Bylaw Enforcement Unit, which forms part of the services they render, but unfortunately their daily operations are managed by skeleton staff, and are not able to service every area. Mr Hlongwane proposed that if the Councillors have specific areas that they want the department to focus on, the location of the areas should be forwarded to the Solid Waste Department.
Mr Hlongwane said the recurrence of dumping causes a tremendous backlog which results in the department having to clean the same areas within the same week. He informed the meeting that 739 illegal dumping locations have been identified as “illegal dumping hotspots”. He further said that sudden tragedies such as the fire at Imizamo Yethu required all of the department’s resources. These tragedies unfortunately cause setbacks in terms of services not being delivered to what was initially scheduled. He appealed to the Councillors and community members to share ideas and possible solutions to combat illegal dumping.
Councillor Jordaan proposed that the Solid Waste Department submit a report to serve before Subcouncil 4 at its meeting to be held in May 2017. This report should include solutions and measures to be put in place by the department in terms of combatting illegal dumping within Subcouncil 4.
That a report, discussing solutions and measures to combat illegal dumping within Subcouncil 4, be SUBMITTED to the Subcouncil meeting to be held 18 May 2017.
