Seeing red over City’s rubbish
City Councillors are fed up with the 'mess' and illegal dumping within the municipal area
THE ‘dirtiness’ of the streets within the City of uMhlathuze, has to be addressed as a ‘matter of urgency’ by the waste management section.
This was the fervent call from City Councillors during the Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday, following the Zululand Observer’s constant coverage of uncollected rubbish and illegal dumping.
The quarterly report for waste management services during the period 1 July to 30 September showed that 121 complaints had been received and investigated.
Complaints from members of the public and businesses included delayed delivery of refuse bins, damaged business skips, illegal dumping, late removal of refuse, unhygienic conditions, damaged trolley bins and littering.
‘When waste is picked up, only bins are taken and plastic bags are left on the street,’ Cllr Meera Sookroo said.
‘Through the negligence of staff, bins are often broken and sometimes lost. At the waste depo in Meerensee, there is no fence and we cannot have dirt flying around.
‘In Empangeni, cars are being repaired on the road and this needs to be addressed.’
City Mayor Elphas Mbatha said it was important for residents to know that the municipality provided quality services and cared for its community.
‘The issues raised are of huge concern not only to Councillors but to the community at large.
‘I was not happy to see the sewage pollution in Empangeni.
‘We cannot afford to have a situation of that nature. Some people obtain their water from streams,’ Mbatha said.
Bins
Cllr MM Mbokazi said when there were two bins from one household, there were reports of only one bin being emptied.
uMhlathuze City Health Director, Ziphi Dladla said residents who accumulated more waste were advised to purchase more than one bin from the municipality.
‘We have moved away from plastic bags to bins as our staff members were exposed to injury on duty as a result of bottles and needles.
‘Residents and businesses must purchase their bins from the municipality and then only will the refuse be collected. The administration will look into the issues raised,’ said Dladla.
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