This place is nauseating'

May 21 2010 at 10:19AM Get IOL on your
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By Bongekile Macupe

Noordgesig residents are up in arms over an illegal dumping site that they say poses a serious health risk to preschool children nearby.

A resident, who identified himself only as Tshepo, said he had met Joburg council officials numerous times, but nothing has been done. He said he had tried to get the council to turn the site into a useful space.

"This place is nauseating. It breeds rats, it breeds everything," he said.

"This could be a park, a car wash - it could be many things," said Tshepo.

The residents say they cannot open their windows and front doors because of the smell and the flies.

Yvonne Merckel, principal of the preschool opposite the dump, said it was a health hazard for the children and affected the school's daily operations.

"When we cook we don't open the windows because we do not know where the flies have been. It is worse in summer."

Merckel said some of the preschoolers were asthmatic, making it difficult for the school to spray the air to alleviate the strong smell.

Pascal Daniels, who lives opposite the dumo site, said: "The people dump rotten vegetables, dogs, cats and everything revolting that you can think of."

He said the residents had held a meeting with the ward councillor in the past week.

Another resident, Vesta Smith, said the councillor had given them a number to call when they spotted someone dumping at the site.

"I do not want to fight with the police anyone, I want us to work together and get rid of this problem," said Smith.

"People from Orlando East jump across the highway and come dump here. I do not know them, I cannot trace them," she said.

Smith said the council needed to put a bin in the open space so that people could dump their waste in it. Putting up a "no-dumping site" sign was a futile exercise as people removed it.

Pansy Jali-Oyedele, the acting communications manager at Pikitup, said people were entitled to a second 240-litre bin if they produced more waste than average.

"We do not charge for the bins, we only charge for the service we offer," she said.

Jali-Oyedele warned that illegal-dumping offenders would be prosecuted.

This article was originally published on page 2 of The Star on May 21, 2010

The Star

Comments by Sonny

Noordgesig is next to Orlando Stadium, the showcase of SA Soccer and now Rugby!

What is Amos Masondo really doing with out budget?

A true African City!

Soon Johannesburg can be compared to Welkom in the Free State.