GEORGE NEWS - George Municipality has allocated R16,34m to a new campaign to address the persistent challenge of illegal dumping and waste management with a holistic and sustainable approach.
The Illegal Dumping Campaign was officially launched on 13 December last year and is starting the new year with a rollout of its detailed 2024/2025 business plan for the campaign.
MMC for Community Services Marchell Kleynhans says the aim is to confront the root causes of illegal dumping. "This will be done through a combination of education, enforcement, and continuous clean-up operations."
Kleynhans says for the campaign to be sustainable, the municipality will regularly perform ad hoc clean-up efforts.
"Illegal dumping in George is not due to a lack of waste management services but rather behavioural challenges," he says. "Therefore, by educating the community, we hope to address people's waste disposal behaviour, especially in informal areas where illegal dumping is most prevalent."
Community collaboration will be at the heart of the campaign, with residents, municipal workers and law enforcement playing a crucial role.
The municipality is also expanding its resources with extra skip trucks and tipper trucks, and using skilled Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers. Waste pickers are also being integrated into formal recycling programmes.
"The municipality has employed 310 EPWP workers and 14 coordinators, who have been strategically deployed across 12 blocks in the municipal area. Their responsibilities include daily waste removal, street sweeping, sidewalk cleaning, and breaking down bulky waste in open spaces. Workers will receive targeted training to enhance their skills and ensure the highest level of service delivery," says Kleynhans.
Skips will be placed in critical wards across George, starting from March, to provide accessible waste disposal points. Each household will receive a quarterly supply of green refuse bags to encourage proper disposal.
Georgians' cooperation is vital in the municipality's focused campaign through which it will be trying to address illegal dumping in a sustainable way. Photo: Keep George Clean
The municipality has also invested in yellow plant machinery, including TLBs and tipper trucks, to support clean-up operations and manage waste such as builder's rubble and garden refuse more efficiently.
"Incorporating waste pickers into the campaign is a significant step towards inclusivity and sustainability.
"The municipality has partnered with organisations such as Polyco and Ewasa to consider the establishment of buy-back centres and provide waste pickers with trolleys and protective gear. This will not only promote recycling, but will also support livelihoods."
Kleynhans emphasises community involvement. "Illegal dumping is a community issue, not just an environmental one, and sustained enforcement alongside public participation is essential for the campaign's success," he says.
"We need every resident to contribute to a cleaner George. Residents are encouraged to report incidents of illegal dumping and actively participate in creating a litter-free environment."
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