Illegal dumping costs the City of Cape Town over R300m a year
The City's solid waste by-law enforcement unit has already issued a total of 1 405 fines this year, amounting to R1,3 million.
R1.3m worth of fines have been issued for illegal dumping this year
There are several sites across the peninsula for residents to dispose of waste
Residents are urged to make use of the weekly refuse removal services instead of dumping
The City of Cape Town is calling on residents to help apprehend culprits involved in illegal dumping.
The City's Solid Waste By-Law Enforcement Unit has already issued a total of 1,405 fines this year, amounting to a value of R1.3 million.
The unit which deals specifically with contraventions of the integrated waste management by-law, focuses on littering and dumping and ensuring that businesses have waste management plans in place.
Its work also includes assisting with awareness and education in communities where dumping has become endemic.
Despite issuing more than 1,400 fines for illegal dumping and related offences, authorities believe there is potential to do more if residents can work more closely with the City to apprehend offenders.
This year over R300 million from City resources was allocated to clear illegal dumping. This money could be used for something more constructive if people rather made use of drop-off sites.
Grant Twigg, Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management
In order to issue penalties for dumping, offenders need to be caught red-handed committing the offence.
Cape Town city bosses are urging residents to help by recording evidence (i.e. taking pictures/videos) which can be used to nab the offender and ensure they face consequences.
Apart from responding to reports of illegal dumping, officers perform random inspections at dumping hotspots as well as spot checks at businesses.
The City has allocated several drop-off sites throughout the peninsula where vehicles with a carrying capacity of less than 1,5 tons can drop up to three loads of builders’ rubble per day for free.
Illegal dumping can depress property values and attract crime and grime to an area. Don’t let those who use your community as a dumping ground get away with it.
Grant Twigg, Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management
Residents are also urged to make use of the weekly refuse collection service to discard of waste, which operates throughout the City, except for unregistered informal settlements.
Settlements must be registered by human settlements before a budget can be assigned for services to a particular community.
Please take pictures and submit them via the contact details below so we can ensure the guilty parties think twice before dumping again.
Grant Twigg, Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management
The penalties for illegal dumping include fines ranging from R500 to R5,000, or impoundment of the vehicle involved. If a vehicle is impounded due to dumping there is a fee of R9,158.10 to release it.
To report illegal dumping, you need to have the culprit's vehicle registration number and must be able to identify the offender.
You can report the offence via the following channels:Telephone: 021 444 6231/021 444 6224/021 444 6223
Email: solidwaste.bylaw@capetown.gov.za.
To notify the City about dumping that needs to be cleared please call 0860 103 089.
This article first appeared on CapeTalk : Illegal dumping costs the City of Cape Town over R300m a year
