Illegal dumping is endemic

R M Meldrum writes:

Illegal dumping is endemic in all areas, but Kelvin and its immediate environs are being heavily affected.

I have to disagree with councillor Kekena that the culprits are local residents. It is plain to see by the size of the heaps and mass of the items, that the materials dumped in the Kelvin area are from 10-ton type tipper trucks used on major construction sites.

These sites are in operation in a radius of perhaps only some 10 or 12km away. The penny-pinching developers are blatantly fouling the environment with impunity, as the fines are minor and few are ever caught anyway, and they save a considerable amount of money.

It is costing the taxpayer many thousands of rand, to just clear one road or area. If measures were put in place by the responsible departments of the city council to block access to the open areas and police the activities of developers, this activity could be curtailed and public money saved.

Trucks actually caught, should be impounded and owners charged. In addition to fines, a six figure sum in release fees should be added so that city council can recover some of the wasted expenditure being incurred.

Action has been taken by the Business Community of Eastgate/ Kelvin View.

On the 28 August a petition to the mayor and city council to stop illegal dumping was submitted. This is now scheduled for consideration by the Petitions Committee of the city council. Meetings have also been held with Region E representatives.

If members of the public witness illegal dumping taking place, the Metro police’s 24-hour control room should be called, and details of the location, truck, ownership licence plates and a photograph should be taken for evidence.

The Metro police’s 24-hour control room number is 011-758-9622.