Limpopo municipalities receive waste, landfill management fleet
Pretoria - Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy said yesterday waste pollution was among the greatest threats to the environment and people’s health.
Creecy was speaking during the handing over of a waste and landfill management fleet to the Collins Chabane and Ba-Phalaborwa local municipalities in Limpopo.
“Throughout our country we are plagued by littering, illegal dump sites, and the scourge of plastic waste that enters our river systems, our wetlands, and ultimately our oceans.
“While our country has made significant strides in improving waste management since 1994, almost a third of households still do not have regular weekly household waste removal services.
“The result is, households are forced to find their own solutions to waste management, solutions that are often damaging to the health of communities and the well-being of our environment.”
Collins Chabane received a waste compactor truck and skip loader truck, while Ba-Phalaborwa received a waste compactor truck and tractor loader backhoe.
The minister said to highlight and raise awareness of the amendments to the municipal infrastructure grant policy, the department used R42.4 million to provide 22 vehicles to 19 municipalities across the country.
“Mbombela and Bushbuckridge municipalities will each receive a compactor truck and skip loader,” said Creecy.
Masilonyana, Matjhabeni, Matzikama, Merafong, Makana, West Rand, Dannhauser, Dawid Kruiper and Moses Kotane are other municipalities that have benefited from the programme.
Creecy said South Africa’s Constitution provided all communities with the right to an environment that was not harmful to their health and well-being.
She said it must be ensured that landfills comply with the regulatory environment and waste does not leach into groundwater or into the soil.
According to her, communities must begin to separate their waste at home so that waste reclaimers can undertake their work in a dignified manner.
“Households must teach family members not to litter, and must work with their neighbours to prevent illegal dumping.
“All of us must participate in regular clean-up campaigns to beautify our communities and protect our environment.”
Creecy said it was known that many municipalities were struggling to provide regular and consistent waste collection services.
She said the government and the private sector must work with waste reclaimers so that they build a dignified waste-reclaiming industry that promotes waste diversion from landfills, promotes the circular economy, and gives a decent livelihood to the tens of thousands of men and women who do the daily back-breaking work of the recycling industry.
Collins Chabane mayor Moses Maluleke said they were happy for the community as the equipment would enhance their service delivery in terms of waste removal.
“We have already bought three trucks, so we now have enough that we can distribute through our various areas. So that in the future all areas are covered.”
Chairperson of Parliament’s portfolio committee on environment, Faith Muthambi, said the municipalities should ensure the trucks were maintained. She said the committee would check records to establish if maintenance was being done.
“Minister, you should keep an eye on this fleet, whether they are being serviced, or if tyres are being changed.”
Pretoria News