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Council's eagle eyes nab illegal dumpers
6 February 2007 By Clifford Mogotsi THOSE who promote environmental injustice who think they are invisible to the law, should think again - the City council has extended its arm to deal with perpetrators. Over the past few years, the department of integrated environmental management, under director Snowy Mothiba, has boosted awareness about environmental crimes, especially illegal dumping. However, the council is tired of preaching the same verse and has resorted to taking strong action. One such perpetrator was caught red-handed by Mfanelo Plaatjie. He was dumping a load of "smileys", or cows' heads in an open area between Rietvallei and Azaadville. Plaatjie, the ward three councillor, said he was on his way home from a council meeting when he spotted the man. "On my way home from a meeting, I came across a man dumping in this area and I asked him to come with me to my office. That's where I called public safety and the City's environmentalist to come and apprehend the perpetrator." By the time the integrated waste management acting deputy director, Wiseman Mzimba, arrived, public safety officers were busy questioning the man, who was driving a bakkie loaded with 10 buckets full of cows' heads. According to Mzimba, the maximum fine for illegal dumping is R10 000; or those caught face a jail sentence of six months. "According to our by-laws, if we find a person illegally dumping in a restricted area, he should be issued a ticket by the public safety officers and pay a fine of R10 000 or face a jail term of six months." Clearly frightened, the man repeatedly apologised to the officers and Mzimba. He was given a warning and ordered to clean the area, or face the penalties. The man said he was hired by a third party to dump the bovine heads. "I am not working and I use my bakkie to transport people's rubbish to nearby fields. But I promise that I won't do it again." Based on the types of items dumped and the locations and quantities, the department of integrated environmental management is investigating further to identify other dumpers. That same day, Mzimba came across a bakkie belonging to a local supermarket offloading rubbish at an open field near the corner of Otlega Road and the M13. The owner of the supermarket said he did not know that his employees were dumping rubbish in a restricted area. "I was not aware, but again, the council charges us R350 for refuse removal and it only collects rubbish once a week," he said. "The previous local government used to send tractors to come and collect rubbish on a regular basis, because driving to a landfill site was costly for us. But I promise to come forward and present my complaints to the environment department." As part of its campaign, the City council has urged all citizens to report environmental crimes and illegal dumping.
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Councillor for Ward 3, Mfanelo Plaatjie, shows the effects of illegal dumping
Related stories Mogale City scoops top cleanliness award Mogale gets tough on littering |
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