GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - A couple of weeks ago, Umasizakhe resident Monwabisi Sodladla captured footage on his mobile phone of an individual illegally dumping refuse in an open field in Umasizakhe.

“The bakkie made numerous trips to the site situated next to the railway tracks between Mnandi Village and Lower Reserve in full view of residents to off-load the rubbish,” said Sodladla.

Sodladla is disgraced by this and feels that action should be taken against this individual and others who are guilty of the same actions to prevent instances of this nature in future.

According to Leolynn Smith, the municipality’s communications officer, the illegal dumping of waste is an environmental crime that will not be tolerated by the municipality or by the community.

“Unfortunately the dumping of waste onto unoccupied land is not an isolated incident, but as we saw in this case, the community can play a really important role in helping the municipality catch these illegal dumpers in the act and bring them to account,” said Smith.

“The community is our eyes and ears, and with smartphone technology people can capture vital evidence that can go a long way to helping us stop illegal dumping in Graaff-Reinet. Anybody who sees suspicious or unusual activity on a property should report it immediately to the municipality, providing details of the vehicle’s registration, a description of the vehicle and type of waste, as well as the time and location of the incident.”

Fines are one of a number of tools the municipality can use to achieve environmental compliance.

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