On-again, off-again orange recycling bag collection has residents seeing red

WHILE the ethekwini Municipality continues to assure City Watch that its orange bag recycling operation is fully functional again, residents in Hillary say this is not the case.

And in umlazi and several other townships, the service was disrupted this week by contractors who have allegedly not been paid.

ethekwini’s Acting Head of Communications Mandla Nsele said the service has since been reinstated in full and the payment issues resolved. Hillary resident Sagren Moodley has applauded the municipality for creating a waste recycling programme and encouraging active public participation, but says he is concerned that tender corruption has made a mess of it all.

“As a keen environmentalist, I strongly believe that recycling is the answer to waste minimisation, sustaining the environment and supporting job creation.”

So it was with “utter disgust”, said Moodley, that he had read about the alleged corruption and mismanagement of the programme.

“I live in the Hillary area and this service was running well until about six months ago when there was disruption of service, to the point that we were not receiving orange bin bags or having them collected.

“If collection is taking place, it is only on the main roads. I have not received the orange bin bags for the past six months.

“When I have placed the bags out for collection, they have not been collected. I then have to take the bags to the recycling station in Bellair. The same applies to the clear bags for glass.

“I have noticed that these orange bin bags are strewn all over the environment, causing health issues. I agree with the comments that monkeys and dogs are tearing the bags, creating a nuisance.

“Furthermore, DSW staff do not pick up the litter caused by the torn bags. The litter ends up being blown into the stormwater manholes, which creates blockages and flooding when it rains.

“Mr Mandla Nsele’s claims that the service is provided in all areas is false. I encourage you, sir, to leave the comfort of your office and survey the areas where these complaints emanate. If this service is provided as you claim, then your monitoring and evaluation systems have failed, or are non-existent.” Responding, Nsele apologises for the inconvenience caused, the concerns will be investigated and addressed.