IT is a beautiful morning, a few much-needed millimetres of rain last night have cleared the air and the birds and insects are rejoicing.
As we make our way through to ‘Forelle Alley’, one of Richards Bay’s beautiful trails through the swamp forests and along the Mzingazi Lake edge, we greet the birders who are also out enjoying the magnificent morning.
We all comment on how lucky we are to have trails like this on our doorstep, but before we finish that thought, there it is – another reminder of the shame of Richards Bay, a fresh load of rubble and general waste in the middle of the bush.
Despite numerous efforts of various bodies, including this newspaper to name and shame individuals who dump rubble in green belts and plantations around Richards Bay, this disgusting practice continues unabated.
It is beyond me that someone can consciously load their waste and rubble, drive to the nearest greenbelt and unload it there as if it is the most natural thing to do.
Do they not for one second look up and assess what it looks like after they have done their dirty deed?
It is not only in Meerensee – anywhere from the plantations alongside Veldenvlei to the greenbelts in the Bay Hall and Green Africa areas, to the RBM regenerating forests, those of us who enjoy the outdoors are continuously greeted by the bane of Richards Bay.
To those of you thinking, ‘I am responsible, I paid some guy with a bakkie to take my rubble to the Empangeni dump site’, how do you know he drove all the way to Empangeni and didn’t just dump it in the first piece of ‘vacant’ land he could find and pocket the extra cash?
If you truly are responsible you will ensure that your building/garden rubble and refuse really goes to the dump by using reputable companies or demanding a receipt.
For example, pay the guy half and pay him the other half when he brings you the receipt from the dump.
If he is providing a cheap service, chances are he is not disposing of your waste at the waste site.
Please everyone, Richards Bay has the potential to be a mecca of outdoor activities in beautiful surroundings.
If that is not enough, may we remind readers that illegal dumping carries a fine of up to R100 000.
THERESIA OTT
