West Bank residents angry at dump sites
WEST Bank residents in King William’s Town are up in arms, accusing Buffalo City Metro of failing to clean two illegal dumping sites close to one another.
The irate residents yesterday said the illegal dumping sites were a health hazard to their children at West Bank Primary School. The sites are close to the school.
But BCM has denied there is a rubbish collection backlog in the area.
Spokeswoman Bathandwa Diamond said the city had two tipper trucks and a tractor loader backhoe that cleaned the area.
However, residents said the two illegal dumping sites had not been cleaned in a long time.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, 53-year old resident Nicky Bell said she had seen a number of cars illegally dumping in the two areas.
“It is not a rubbish tip. It is a residential area. How are we supposed to live in this filth because other people are being careless?
“It is very rare that the municipality comes around to clear the mess.
“We have reported it several times but nothing gets done about it,” Bell said.
She said there were household garbage, car parts and broken appliances dumped into the open field near their houses.
Another resident, Cindy Howes, who lives across the river in Pottinger Street, said things had deteriorated in the town over the 44 years she had been living there.
“This town used to be spotless. We have a rich history with monuments all over which are commemorating the soldiers, but now you can’t even get up to the steps of those monuments because they are covered in rubbish.
“There are canals where the stormwater flows which are filled with garbage because the municipality could not be bothered and that is sad.
“It is disgusting that when we go into town there’s a stench from the filth, especially outside the banks, and that is not on,” Howes said.
Her home borders the King William’s Town Nature Reserve, with Howes saying she feared for the safety of the animals that often wander from the bush and get trapped in the rubbish that is lying in the street.
Kim Markus, who has lived in the town for about 15 years, said they often stumbled upon dead dogs at the dumpsite near her house.
“Other people are dumping here and seem to think it is okay but it is a real health hazard,” she said.
Another resident, Ken Vermaak, said he would like to see the dumping culprits brought to account.
Diamond yesterday denied that West Bank residents were faced with such a challenge.
She said the inland region had a clean-up campaign last month for the streets of King William’s Town.
“Refuse removal in West Bank is on Mondays and our refuse removal is on target. We don’t have any refuse removal backlog in the area.
“The inland region has two tipper trucks and a TLB to clear and clean all illegal dumping spots around the area,” Diamond said. —