Important municipal notice about black rubbish bags

Refuse bags placed out for removal long before collection time pose a problem.

These bags, when placed outside the night before refuse collection, are often tampered with, leaving pavements and other public areas littered with rubbish.

The Mossel Bay Municipality has asked before and is once again making an appeal to residents to place refuse bags where they cannot be reached and opened by animals or vagrants before removal.

Complaints have also been received by the Mossel Bay Municipality of inappropriate rubbish, including dead animals, lying exposed on sidewalks as a result of refuse bags being tampered with.

Section 6 of the municipality’s Refuse Removal by-law is an instruction to occupiers of properties on how refuse is to be presented for collection. In terms of this by-law, refuse bags must be placed on pavements before or at 07:00 on refuse removal days.

In terms of Section 5 of the Refuse Removal by-law, only domestic waste can be placed in black refuse bags. Non-compliance in this regard can thus result in notices, fines or summons to court. Repeat offenders may be summonsed to court and if they are found guilty, the discretion will be with the prosecutor, how much the fine will be.

An appeal is made to residents to use the blue refuse bags for recyclables only. It has been noted by the municipality that glass and metal cans are increasingly being disposed of in black refuse bags. These items cause injury to municipal workers.

Report any transgressions in terms of the mentioned by-laws to the municipality (044 606 5000 or admin@mosselbay.gov.za).