‘Councillor’ accused of illegal dumping
Woman claimed to be a councillor, accused of massive illegal greenbelt dumping
A WOMAN, claimed to be an city ward councillor, allegedly ordered the dumping of mountains of household waste in a greenbelt area and turned aggressive when confronted by residents.
Ward 2 Cllr Christo Botha appealed to the deputy municipal manager community services and the speaker to take immediate action against Catherine Ngcobo after receiving a public complaint and photographic evidence of massive rubbish dumping in the greenbelt between Arum Lily, Begonia Brim and Duikerdraai.
A resident and CPF member caught two men in the act of dumping a huge load of rubbish from a vehicle, later discovered to be registered in the name of Ngcobo.
The area was already littered with numerous freshly dumped loads, wrapped in similar plastic bags.
‘The debris was removed from 28 Duikerdraai and the occupants of the vehicle informed me that they were instructed by the owner of the premises to use the ‘veld’ to dump everything,’ the resident said.
The occupants also allegedly admitted to the complainant and another resident that all the rubbish was dumped by them during the course of the day.
‘I was also informed that the owner or resident of 28 Duikerdraai was or is a councillor, although I could not verify the truth of the claim.’
The CPF member requested the driver to wait for the police, but they said they would rather fetch the owner.
‘The person now known to me as Mrs Ngcobo arrived on the scene accompanied by three men and a woman.
‘I was still in the process of contacting the SAPS when they arrived.
Pleading ignorance
‘She informed me that she was unaware of the fact that this behaviour was illegal. This despite the fact that there is a large sign at the site stating that dumping is illegal.
‘I politely ask her if she would remove the other debris, but she refused and said that it did not belong to her.’
‘As the photos indicate, the plastic bags on the vehicle were identical to those already dumped.
‘The woman with her also asked me if I knew who she was and then said she was a councillor.
‘She (Mrs Ncgobo) then in an aggressive mood removed the vehicle from the scene and left before the police could be informed.’
He then handed in the photos and complaint to Cllr Botha for investigation.
He established that the owners or residents of 28 Duikerdraai are Catherine Ngcobo and Vusi Ngcobo and the vehicle is registered in her name.
Cllr Botha has since laid a formal complaint against Ncgobo for transgressing the city’s solid waste bylaws.
City communications manager Mdu Ncalane said the matter is being attended to.
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