Tunatazama - Community Monitors

Our Lives In Danger Because of Illegal Dumping by Pretty Masilela

OUR LIVES BEING IN DANGER BECAUSE OF ILLEGAL DUMPING

BY: Pretty Masilela

 

Witbank it’s a city that is also known as emalahleni its situated on Highveld of Mpumalanga, south Africa within the emalahleni location, it is very rich in resources so many people has moved in with hope of finding jobs, schools and a better living. As a result we are now facing lots of problems and illegal dumping is one of them.

Illegal dumping is a crime opportunity it involves discarding furniture, appliances, yard debris and other unwanted items in a location other than one at a recycling centre or permitted disposal site. For a long period of 8 years we’ve been facing a similar problems of illegal dumping at our community of ext. 9 emalahleni.

The illegal is caused by our community members and as a result it brings diseases to our citizens. Illegal dumping during heavy rains it can teach hazardous chemicals into water ways and potentially block drainage ways, making areas more susceptible to floods. It also affects people’s health. Most of our children carries a disease from playing in our near the illegal dumping site. According to our community members the main reason for illegal dumping it’s because the municipality trucks are always late to collect garbage bins also the over-population plays a huge role in encouraging people to use illegal dumping sites.

The people who has just moved in doesn’t care about our community they only here for jobs and what’s happening about and around the community it’s not their problem said  one of our community members . Mr Buthelezi who live near the illegal dumping site

Blaming and pointing fingers to one another it’s not a solution but working together is the best option. We as a community we need to come together and make a awareness about the danger of illegal dumping. We need to clean the site and make something good on it for example parks but currently we have lots of parks on our hood so we can make shops or play grounds for our children.

 

 

*The illegal dumping of extension 9