By Sanele L. Nkompela
Cape Town - As the City of Cape Town grapples with overflowing sewerage drains, blocked storm water drains and sanitation, refuse collection is increasingly becoming an additional problem in townships largely inhabited by black and poor families.
Refuse removal occurs almost every Wednesday at K, L and M-Sections of Site B in Khayelitsha. As of November 2 it was not collected.
I am triggered to reduce this occurrence into an article on the basis that it has been an occurrence on multiple occasions.
Geordin Hill-Lewis, the mayor, had a public engagement in sub-council 9 on October 3, a tick box exercise and an ongoing campaign to exercise control over the police service, boasting about a huge number of C-3 notifications as though C-3 notifications address problems and arrogantly dodging questions about land availability for public purpose etc.
He repeatedly urged community members to report unlawful dumping, promising a reward.
This municipality subjects us, poor communities, to harmful environments and unhealthy living conditions. Dangerous diseases may emanate from non-collection of refuse.
The City of Cape Town has an obligation under the Constitution in respect of refuse removal and to regulate and control waste management.
The City of Cape Town’s Integrated Waste Management By-laws of 2009 protects and fulfils the residents’ rights to an environment that is not harmful to their health.
It also prohibits unauthorised disposal of waste, littering and dumping.
Filthy pavements that become garbage dump sites, emitting a foul stench along fences like Yomelela and Sosebenza Primary schools, were cleared a few months ago.
Yet they are going to return to that bad state as a result of non-collection of refuse removal by the municipality.
Some wheelie bins get spilt by wandering dogs. The uncollected garbage breeds insects which are dangerous to human health.
It is hypocritical of the executive mayor to urge residents to report illegal dumping while the municipality sometimes does not collect refuse.
Residents are left with no choice, duly authorised or not, but to empty the garbage bins somewhere when the city fails its obligation.
These happenings are in communities of poor and black populations, a distinctly stark contrast to what you would see in affluent suburbs inhabited by people who are on the top of the social class ladder.
This is the truth not to be found in the glossy printed reports on the office tables council and sub-council offices.
If the powers that be in City Council chambers are not a reincarnation of the pre-1994 governors, they are not committed to the preambles of this country’s Constitution and the City’s own by-laws quite frankly.
Now that the authorities are still in deep slumber and the City Council has become accustomed to doing things through a court order, it is inevitable the community tracks this poor service trend and take Hill-Lewis to task legally.
Cape Times
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