Emile Kaselowski writes:
Many cities and towns across South Africa suffer from inefficient garbage collection and storage thereof.
Currently, uncollected garbage attracts all sorts of ills and elements attributing to higher crime rates. With SAPS, law enforcement, etc, unable to cope with the demand, we need to ask ourselves what can be done.
In the past, all efforts were to lean on the political and governmental spheres to come up with and implement solutions. Nowadays we might need to look inwards.
Go back 30 years: Early in the 1990s, there used to be big, cylindrical glass and paper recycling bins situated in a central place in our neighbourhood where you could go and dump those goods. These were seemingly collected periodically, although I can remember there always being lots of glass shards around the bin.
If we cannot deal with the symptom of vagrants, bin diggers, etc, then we should remove what brings them in.
Incentive: Provide a rebate on your municipal bill for residents taking their recycling bags to the transfer station or a feeder station. Fewer bags to be collected by the municipality and fewer trips they have to make. This is what they do in Europe, and it works well.
It is too easy to just throw everything in a black bag and put it out on the street. For residents who do recycle, these bags are often left on the pavement until late that afternoon. By then, that bag has been rummaged through and all recyclables collected by trash pickers anyway. The more we put outside, the more they are attracted.
I would only imagine if residents could even get as much as a 50% rebate on the rubbish collection portion, that a significant number of them would be willing to embrace this effort.
George Municipality responds:
The George Municipality notes the concerns raised and appreciates the constructive engagement on waste management challenges.
Municipal refuse collection remains a critical service in 2026, ensuring public health, environmental protection, and the orderly management of waste. While challenges such as bin rummaging and littering are acknowledged, these are complex socio-economic issues that require a balanced and inclusive approach rather than the removal of municipal collection services.
The municipality already implements measures aimed at reducing landfill waste and promoting recycling through its established three-bag system. Residents are encouraged to separate waste at the source by using blue/clear bags for recyclables, green bags for organic waste, and black bags for non-recyclable waste.
This system is specifically designed to minimise waste to landfill and improve recycling outcomes, aligning with the broader objectives referenced in the letter.
In addition, residents have access to municipal waste facilities and are encouraged to make use of these where feasible.
While the suggestion of rebate-based self-collection models is noted, such approaches would require careful consideration of affordability, accessibility for all households, and potential unintended consequences, including illegal dumping.
Law enforcement continues to support waste management efforts through ongoing high-visibility patrols in identified areas. Dedicated shifts are deployed from the early hours; however, resource constraints mean teams must balance responding to service complaints with proactive patrols to address bin rummaging and related issues.
The municipality continues to encourage responsible waste practices. This includes placing refuse only on the morning of the scheduled collection day (by 07:00), not the night before, as early placement contributes significantly to refuse being disturbed.
The George Municipality remains committed to improving waste management services, supporting recycling initiatives, and working with communities to find practical, locally appropriate solutions.
The George Municipality takes note of the letter, appreciates the comments, and reminds the public to place refuse only on their appointed days and not too early; this is a common problem. We encourage residents to place refuse out only on scheduled collection days and to do so in a manner that limits early interference.
