Bethelsdorp residents at wits’ end over illegal dumpsite
Bethelsdorp residents say their rights are being infringed on by the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality which created an illegal dumpsite in the area, causing a potential health hazard and driving down their property prices.
Years in the making, the dumpsite is now encroaching on their property and is close to Heathcote Park, which is mainly used by children.
Heaps of industrial debris — from concrete columns, pipes and tar — fill the dumpsite which is close to the Van der Kemps Kloof Reserve and a water reservoir.
But even more concerning for residents is how waste extracted from municipal sewerage pipelines also ends up at the dumpsite.
When it rains, they say, it is likely contaminants seep into the groundwater with a borehole just down the road.
“It is madness what is going on here,” resident Horace Jordaan said.
He lives two streets from the park.
“I dare anyone to come to take samples here and tell us what they find.
“This toxic waste is seeping into the groundwater supply of that borehole.
“They are sitting with a massive lawsuit waiting to happen,” Jordaan said.
According to Heathcote committee chair Randall Martin, the site was supposed to be temporary, with the debris meant to end up at the Arlington Landfill Site.
While the debris was previously removed within two weeks, this has not been the case for at least two years, resulting in the dumpsite mushrooming.
“We now have an overcrowding of vagrants looking for scrapmetals and people moving in here,” Martin said.
“If there is work in Bloemendal, that [debris] ends up here.
“If there is work in Helenvale it ends up here.”
With the dumpsite growing, Martin said private contractors and companies were also using it.
“Municipal vehicles leave the boom gate open,” he said.
“There is supposed to be security to monitor who goes in here because there is a sand depot at the back, but they abuse this.”
Martin said they had been trying to get Ward 35 councillor Noline Moodley to address the eyesore for months.
“From Claire Park to here, we are the highest ratepayers.
“We want value from the municipality.
“Our children cannot play here.
“This is driving down property values.
“It is constitutionally wrong. “It is a human right to have safe water, a safe environment and security,” Martin said.
Moodley acknowledged the issue had been brought to her attention.
“Unfortunately, the ward is big and I have tried to communicate that to them,” she said.
After requesting to be sent an email about the dumpsite to clarify what her office was doing about it, Moodley did not reply to the email or take subsequent calls.
Public health political head Thsonono Buyeye said the depot responsible for that area was not aware of dumping.
“The Gail Road solid waste management team is not aware of this matter, therefore we are requesting the complainant to indicate the respective area within Bethelsdorp where this complaint was lodged and located,” he said.
“The sub-directorate has a schedule in place to attend to all the illegal dumping across the metro.
“Upon receipt of a complaint, it takes between three to seven working days to respond due to the nature of our work.
“The sooner we get the exact details of this area, we will attend to it at our earliest convenience.”