GEORGE NEWS - As part of its commitment to keeping George clean and free from illegal dumping, the George Municipality has officially launched a citywide roll-out of waste skips across various wards.
The launch, held on Friday 28 March, marked the installation of three skips at New Dawn Park Primary School (Ward 16), Main Road in Rosedale (Ward 14) and Chrystal Avenue, Blanco (Ward 1).
This initiative follows the successful Illegal Dumping Awareness Campaign in February, which the municipality declared Illegal Dumping Awareness Month.
The launch was attended by the mayor, Jackie von Brandis, the MMC for refuse, the environment and parks, Cllr Monique Simmers, and three ward councillors: Cllr Therasa Jeyi (Ward 16, and the chief whip of council), Cllr Melvin Roelfse (Ward 14, and the MMC for community services - social development, sport, libraries and customer care) and Cllr Jean Safers (Ward 1, and the MMC for human settlements).
Von Brandis commended the community services team for their efforts in maintaining a cleaner city. She said they were in the process of deploying 34 skips across George, with plans to install additional skips in the next financial year. She also acknowledged the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (Misa), a national government entity under the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, for contributing five of the 34 skips. Misa plays a critical role in enhancing municipal infrastructure for improved service delivery as part of the Back-to-Basics Strategy.
In her opening address, Jeyi expressed her excitement about the initiative. “I’m delighted to see this project come to life. These skips will provide a legal and accessible way for residents to dispose of waste, keeping our wards clean and free of illegal dumping.”
Simmers emphasised the community’s role in maintaining the cleanliness of their surroundings. “These skips are in the communities for the benefit of the communities. We urge all residents to use them responsibly,” she said.
About the waste skips
Refuse skips, also known as skip bins, are large containers designed for temporary waste storage and efficient removal of various types of waste, including household waste, construction debris and commercial refuse.
The Director of Community Services at George Municipality, Dawie Adonis, provided insight into the skip project, emphasising its role in promoting responsible waste disposal and maintaining cleaner neighbourhoods.
He highlighted that the placement of skips in strategic locations would offer residents a convenient and legal alternative to illegal dumping, ultimately improving the overall hygiene and aesthetics of the city.
The senior manager of environmental services, Sivuyile Mtila, reassured the residents that regular black, blue and green bag waste collection services will continue as usual. He clarified that the skips are not a replacement for this service, but an additional measure to combat illegal dumping.
Von Brandis urged residents to take care of these skips. “We request the community to make proper use of these skips by disposing waste inside them, not outside, to ensure their effectiveness in keeping our city clean.”
This initiative is said to form part of the municipality’s ongoing efforts to improve waste management and maintain a clean, healthy environment for all residents.
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