Proud resident, Blanco:
As a resident of Blanco I’m concerned about the new rubbish dump on my doorstep. [The dump the reader is referring to is at the top entrance to Golden Valley, across the graveyard, in Maitland Street. This is a residential area.] Is this even legal? It’s terribly close to houses in the area (so close that the papers and plastic blow into my yard on a windy day) and people are just dumping their rubbish there left, right and centre. Glass, plants, grass, plastic, paper, tins, old clothes etc. (Please see attached picture).
Anything goes. Myself and other residents in the area, including members of the neighbourhood watch, have spoken to the relevant councillors, but no one comes with a workable solution. Please can something be done? Blanco is already being left behind, there’s no need to turn it into a rubbish dump as well … and this just across the road from (a VERY overgrown) graveyard.
We want to be proud about Blanco, we want to bring visitors in without having to be embarrassed.
I would like to ask the mayor or the municipal manager whether I can bring the rubbish to their doorstep? I mean, I have it on mine and I am forced to live with it, maybe they don’t mind sharing?
A day after the George Herald sent this letter to the municipality for comment the illegal dumpsite was cleaned. The reader then sent a follow-up letter:
Thank you very much. I see the dump has been ‘cleaned’. Well…not that you can call it clean now. Most of the rubbish was taken away by a digger loader, but there are still plenty of loose rubbish lying around in the bush and across the road. Tins, plastic bags, broken glass, bottles etc. At least the bulk has been removed. Now the question begs. How long until it looks like a dump again? Nothing and no one is stopping anyone from dumping their trash there and to be quite honest to clean it up once someone complains, only fuels the fire. What is the municipality’s plans to stop the dumping or at least contain it?
Are they going to give the people of Golden Valley and surrounds rubbish removal services or just a proper spot nearby to take their trash than rather just dump it next to the road?
Municipality responds
The letter writer is thanked for bringing this illegal dump site to the attention of the municipality and is urged to contact our cleansing offices directly on 044 802 2900 for an appointment to discuss any further issues.
Members of the public are once again urged to report illegal dumping directly to the municipal cleansing department and to our law enforcement offices on 044 801 6350 should they witness the dumping taking place. Loose papers will be picked up by our individual foot patrol teams.
(See photos of the informal dump site towards the front of the paper. Ed)
