Mamelodi Phase 2
Mamelodi East residents are facing challenges of illegal dumping. Still no action taken against those who still dump in public places. Residents blame each other for dumping the rubbish. Permanent residents blame the informal settlement residents, saying that the bin man does not enter the informal settlement areas to collect the rubbish instead they collect outside of the permanent residents.
Rubbish left unattended outside the informal settlement
The informal settlement residents see the space as an opportunity to use for dumping. “Most of the people who dump the rubbish here are from the informal settlement because the bin man does not go into the informal settlement areas to collect the rubbish but they pass outside our homes to collect ours”, said the resident who live in permanent houses. Although the area was clean on Fridays there’s some people who still dump in the clean areas. The issue being that rubbish is not collected from all areas where people live.
Mamelodi Phase 3 rubbish near the train track
“We put our rubbish in the bags and put them at the corner so the bin man can collect all of them at one place since they don’t enter in our area and they don’t collect them all the time that is why you find rubbish lying about everywhere”, said the resident from the informal settlement.
The other issue is that in most areas when children see rubbish bags unattended they start playing with them and the place looks messy! what do we do about those who actually play in the dumping site. Children’s health is at a high risk of catching diseases.
On the other hand attraction of rat issue will not end until the community start sorting out the illegal dumping issue.
Mamelodi Phase 2 rubbish next to the main road
People need to start thinking about children’s health and their safe place to play. Not only kids will suffer from diseases but everyone who’s part of the community.
For as long as the bin man does not enter all the areas where people live and people keeping on dumping the rubbish everywhere this matter will not come to an end.
By: Fortunate Machaba
