GEORGE NEWS - The George Municipality's landfill site on the R102 has faced repeated closures and reopenings since early May, leaving residents and especially skip hire companies struggling with their daily operations.

This follows a period of severe weather - heavy rainfall, strong windstorms and further rain throughout May and early June.

While the municipality has repeatedly attributed these closures to safety concerns and operational challenges, many are left frustrated.

During the last couple of weeks, the landfill had temporarily been closed due to bad weather, waterlogged roads, limited staff and safety conditions. 

At times, the landfill site was either fully closed or temporarily suspended to allow for maintenance work, including bulldozer work to clear access routes and create more dumping areas.

On Tuesday 9 June, the site was again temporarily closed, this time due to slippery access roads. 

Official notices confirmed the closures due to the extremely muddy conditions and equipment unavailability, but said the site would be reopened later that afternoon.

The municipality has consistently urged residents to be careful when accessing the site. Only one side of the access road is currently usable, and waterlogged roads have caused vehicles to get stuck. It said these closures are implemented for safety reasons for the public and municipal staff.

Despite these explanations, frustration has grown among skip hire companies and other waste management service providers.

"With all the rain, mud and the additional loads being dumped as a result of the wind damage, the landfill site has reached capacity, and staff are struggling to keep up with opening new dumping areas," said Marisa Sliep, the owner of a local skip hire company. 

"Space at the site is becoming limited, and it is dangerous with more and more vehicles trying to dispose of waste in a confined area."

She added that while the repeated closures have disrupted businesses, many understand that municipal workers are dealing with exceptional circumstances following weeks of severe weather and an unprecedented volume of waste.

The municipality has apologised for the inconvenience caused and thanked the public for their patience.

It said the landfill site remains operational when the conditions allow, but further closures remain possible should adverse weather continue or operational constraints arise.

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