Residents roll up sleeves to keep their area clean and healthy

Residents of Mthatha’s biggest informal settlement are looking after their environment themselves, cleaning the streets and policing the area..

This follows in vain pleas for the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality to assist them with cleaning up vacant spaces that have been turned into illegal dump sites.

They have also taken it upon themselves to educate young people about the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy environment.

Last year, Chris Hani informal settlement residents said they could not open their windows any more because of illegal dumping on their doorsteps, which resulted in a ghastly stench and an infestation of flies.

They claimed people from other sections were dumping dead dogs and chickens near their homes.

Speaking on behalf of those behind the initiative, Ayanda Ndakisa and Thandela Faleni, said the waste was a threat to their health, especially that of children and old people.

Ndakisa said: “This is taking responsibility and not waiting for the government and municipality to do things for us.

“We understand that it is not the municipality that is dumping, but it is some of us.

“In fact, it is not the people from this area but people from other areas, especially those driving on the Mthatha bypass.

“They make our area filthy, smelly and unhealthy. Sometimes we struggle to eat our meals because of the overwhelming smells.”

Faleni said other areas such as nearby Mandela Park along the R61 had rubbish skips, but there were none in the Mthatha bypass area and the Bedford Hospital Road which people had turned into an illegal dump site.

“We have got young children and we cannot have a scenario where an illegal dump site is in your doorway,” she said.

“We, as the community, decided on this initiative after we noticed that people were turning our area into an unlawful dump site.

“They dump all kinds of waste – dead dogs, cats, or any other animals like donkeys – and even babies and dirty nappies. We’ve been lucky not to find any adult human corpses.”

Community members brought their gloves, wheelbarrows, spades, rakes and other tools and have worked for days clearing the area.

Faleni said: “We need to develop a healthy and environment-friendly community and ensure that we take responsibility for maintaining our area.

“The KSD municipality must show care and assist such community initiatives. We need a healthy and beautiful environment.”

Ndakisa and Faleni said they had collected more than 200 bags of rubbish in a single day, but then had to join up with local businesses to assist with the transport of the bags to the official dump for free.

The community has now established a committee to lead the programme.

Ndakisa said: “We did not stop there. We are also teaching children the importance of a healthy and clean environment and instilling a sense of responsible citizenry.”

The committee has now warned that anyone found dumping would be fined R1,500 by the community.

The municipality is also in a war against illegal dumping in its areas, which include Mthatha, Mqanduli and Coffee Bay.

Mayor Nyaniso Nelani’s spokesperson, Olwethu Mabovula, appreciated the community initiative.

“This a very good example of a responsible community that the municipality cherishes.

“Such great efforts are applauded. This is in line with our initiative of being the greenest and cleanest ward.”

Mabovula said the municipality was introducing a competition to help look after the environment.

“We are introducing the greenest and cleanest competition to improve our environment.”

She said as part of an effort to prevent illegal dumping, the municipality had also beautified some of the areas with colourfully painted tyres and had planted trees and flowers at some entrances and exits.

The municipality is contemplating introducing drones to help fight illegal dumping, crime and arson at municipal infrastructure, such as electricity kiosks and transformers. – DispatchLive