Fines issued for littering and dumping on the rise this spring

04 October 2023

The City of Cape Town’s Urban Waste Management (UWM) By-law Enforcement Unit continues work to deter and correct those responsible for creating environmental health risks through illegal dumping and littering. 

The City of Cape Town is pleased to report that the number of fines issued for illegal dumping and littering is currently on an upward trend due to good work by the UWM By-law Enforcement Unit.

For the previous three months, a total of 580 fines have been issued for illegal dumping, with a total value of R1 615 100 and 353 fines have been issued for littering, with a total value of R176 000.

For the 2022/23 financial year, the City reported a total of 1 723 fines for littering and dumping – an average of approximately 144 fines per month. The total of 933 fines issued for the first quarter of 2023/24 equates to 311 fines per month, an increase of 115%. 

Operations for the period also included surveys of businesses in Bellville and Fisantekraal areas, to confirm that they have appropriate waste management systems in place. Officers also performed 17 operations in various CBDs throughout the city, including Bellville, Kuils River, Kraaifontein and Cape Town CBD.

'Catching and penalising those who litter and dump is very important in our city. All those who litter and all those who are involved in illegal dumping should take note that we are rapidly improving our strategies and our capacity to catch you and apply the law. Your days of treating the city like a landfill are numbered.

'Although the number of fines are on the increase, the number of people reporting littering and dumping remains flat. I would like to remind residents that as part of the #SpringCleanCT campaign, there are currently cash rewards on offer for information that leads to convictions for illegal dumping. With your help, we can do even more and turn our communities into spaces we can be proud of,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg.

To report tip-offs for illegal dumping please use the 24-hour toll-free number (0800 110077).

Residents and small businesses can use the City's network of drop-off sites to dispose of up to three 1,5-tonne loads of waste per day. Please see this chart for more information.

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office