The garden-refuse dumping sites around Grahamstown have generated much discussion in the last two years.
The garden-refuse dumping sites around Grahamstown have generated much discussion in the last two years.
At least two sites, on Constitution Street and the one opposite the Graeme College gate at Espin Street, have been closed by Makana Municipality.
Such action is usually taken as a result of complaints by residents who object to the abuse of these sites by people who dump refuse other than garden-refuse, a contravention of municipal by-laws.
Such illegal dumping causes an unsightly mess and pollutes the surrounding area and streams. Grahamstown Residents Association (GRA) advocates for active citizenship as a way to solve such problems.
GRA was instrumental in co-ordinating the response to the controversy over the garden-refuse dump at Selworthy Road, where the situation became unbearable for many people in the area.
On 24 November 2015 a community meeting (under the auspices of GRA) was held at Graeme College, where 95% of people voted to close the dump. The community decision was formally submitted to Makana Municipality with a request for assistance to improve the area surrounding the dump.
In January 2016 the Director of Social and Community Services, Mr Mandisi Planga, confirmed the closure of the dump and agreed to assist by allowing municipal employees to work on site.
Work commenced in the week of 1 February and included removing, at great cost, building rubble that had been illegally dumped in a radius of about 100m around the skip; the area directly opposite Silver Birches, as well as in the dip alongside Taunton Road.
On the recommendations of the Municipality horticulturist, workers with brush cutters removed alien vegetation and selected large bushes so as to create a more open area with a view to the dam.
Finally, all the material that had been dumped around the skip was taken to the municipal dump in the industrial area. A fence will be erected and closure signs put up.
Anyone caught engaging in illegal dumping at the site (or anywhere) may be prosecuted and could face a stiff fine.
Illegal dumping has spiralled out of control in recent years. While the improvements to the Gowie Dam area are welcomed by most residents in Somerset Heights and Oatlands North, there is concern that illegal dumping will continue, regardless of the closing of Selworthy dump, but also as a consequence of this, especially along the tracks around Villa d’Este.
The only places to legally dump unwanted material are the municipal dump (general refuse and rubble) and the few remaining garden-refuse dumps (garden-refuse only).
The recommended place to take garden-refuse is the compost-making operation known as Complete Compost, run by Jeanine Rado and located next to Muir Trans in Strowan Road (industrial area).
The dumping site on Selworthy Road was just one of a number of environmental concerns in the area between Somerset Heights and Oatlands North. Now that the milestone of closing the site has been reached, other environmental and infrastructural concerns need to be addressed.
Among these are the sewerage leaking into Gowie Dam and the badly eroded spillway below the dam wall and the collapsing culvert in the dip of Taunton Road.
There are plans to establish an urban conservancy around Gowie Dam to restore the area as a recreational site that anyone can enjoy through picnicking, walking (dogs), running, cycling, birding and fishing.
