The Mangaung Metro Municipality has responded to Bloemfontein residents’ pleas. Residents near the Northern Landfill Site at Northridge Mall have been complaining about people dumping waste outside the main entrance of the landfill site. The issue escalated further when people started dumping next to the road, causing it to be inaccessible. This happened after continuous rain allegedly caused muddy roads.
The metro’s Acting City Manager, Sello More, stated he had hoped for the site to be fully cleared by the end of last week. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the site has not been fully cleared, however, the work is 90% completed.
He explained Law Enforcement must ensure that people follow the rules of not dumping outside the allocated area. The Southern Landfill Site was cleaned last week but it is already starting to look as if it has not been cleaned because people dump waste wherever they like. “To my understanding, the Northern Landfill Site became difficult to access due to the recent heavy rainfall, which has resulted in people dumping outside the entrance,” explained More.
In addition, he stated they also have to make the landfill site more accessible that even if it rains heavily, people can still access it.
A resident who would like to remain anonymous said even though it is a dumping site, people must also be considerate that there are people who actually live near the site. The flies and the smell from the dumping site make it unbearable for residents to live there.
A community leader who was also present at the clean-up of the Northern Landfill Site, Mpho Mojanaga, stated it is unfair that the municipality waits for residents to complain about problems before a solution becomes available, as if they do not plan for these issues.
Corn Koteli
