Pretoria - Residents of the Centurion suburb Rooihuiskraal are planning to get their hands dirty cleaning Rooihuiskraal Road, which is infested with rubbish.
The Pretoria News yesterday reported that rubbish has piled up on the banks alongside the busy road, nearly spilling onto the road and threatening to disrupt traffic.
This is due to the ongoing municipal strike action that has affected service delivery.
The garden refuse site across the road has been closed for two weeks because of the strike.
However, speaking to Pretoria News, City of Tshwane’s ward 69 councillor Cindy Billson said they were expecting the services to resume immediately.
She vowed to rally residents living in the area to help with the cleaning.
“The city is going to clean this up. The garden waste site is closed because it is full. Removal did not take place of garden waste because of the non-availability of contractors,” she said.
She said that residents were to be reminded that the site was for garden, and not for any other waste.
“Because of the intimidation and violence taking place, the waste group is also refusing to help,” she said.
She said some residents did not care much about the rubbish while others thought it was disgusting and wanted to help.
On Tuesday, representatives of body corporate from residential estates in the area were seen monitoring the area.
Billson said that the property owners were angry at the situation.
“Obviously they are angry. They have been monitoring since I requested details of people dumping … going to use the details to ask the green scorpions to fine people – the fine is R200 000,” Billson said.
On the Rooiskraalhuis Facebook page, it was stated: “The municipal garden refuse site in Rooihuiskraal North has become a concern as any form of protest action and closure result in the area surrounding the refuse site becoming a free-for-all dump site.
“People in the surrounding area feel that it is their right to dump not only garden refuse but any form of rubbish. Not only is it illegal to dump but it is extremely disrespectful and inconsiderate to the residents of the area.
“The intention of this group is to create awareness with local authorities and name and shame those that are guilty of this disgusting behaviour. It is not your right to use the area as a dumping site. Permanent closure of this site is the main goal.”
In a letter to residents, Billson pleaded with them not to dump at Rooihuiskraal.
“Please, please don't dump at Rooihuiskraal Garden Site. Should you see someone dumping, please send me the details with a date and time stamp,” the letter said.
She asked for residents to keep the garden waste at their homes for now.
“Again, please keep garden waste at your home for now. Don’t let your garden service take it. They are illegally dumping it at Rooihuiskraal Garden Site on the sidewalk.
In another letter she stated that waste collection would continue on Wednesdays.
“We did ask and were promised that the areas outstanding the longest will be attended to first,” Billson wrote.
A resident said it was the third time the illegal dumping happened in recent years, and “we are sick of it”.
Pretoria News