By Gcina Ntsaluba
The Makana Local Municipality held an ordinary council meeting on Thursday where councillors addressed pressing waste management concerns and approved new by-laws for stray animal control. The meeting, held at the Monument due to ongoing City Hall renovations, saw the council grappling with the lifespan of the existing landfill site and progress on identifying a new location.
Reducing the burden on the landfill
The Director of Public Safety and Community Services presented a comprehensive report on the current landfill site’s remaining capacity and efforts to extend its operational life. The municipality has implemented several interventions to prolong the site’s lifespan, including entering into a memorandum of understanding with a waste management partner to divert waste from the facility.
According to the director’s presentation, the municipality has received waste separation equipment and is developing a distribution plan to ensure recycling happens outside the landfill site. A local company has also approached the municipality about recycling garden refuse to create compost, further reducing the burden on the existing facility.
The council heard that an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for a new landfill site has been conducted, though councillors raised concerns about whether previous EIA reports had expired and requested updated, comprehensive documentation.
Executive Mayor Yandiswa Vara acknowledged the partnership approach: “We accept the contents and we accept the partnership that is here… In principle, we fully support the alternative in terms of the landfill site.”
The mayoral committee was tasked with developing a comprehensive business plan to secure funding for a new landfill site.
Animal control by-laws approved
In a significant development, the council approved draft by-laws for the control of stray animals, with provisions for public participation and community engagement before final implementation. The by-laws will establish a temporary animal pound facility at the municipality’s commonage farm. The Portfolio Councillor for Community and Social Services will lead site inspections to ensure the facility meets requirements.
Councillors emphasised the importance of implementing a by-law rollout program quickly to avoid legal complications in enforcement. The Speaker stressed the need to gazette the by-laws with the provincial government once approved, noting past challenges where enforcement was hampered by regulations that were never formally gazetted.
“First, you must accept the by-law,” the Speaker explained. “Then, once you agree on the by-law, you can accept it. When we check whether they are gazetted or not, they are not,” the Speaker warned, “and then when they go to court, we have no leg to stand on.”
Council administration Updates
The Speaker announced that the council is in the process of filling a vacant seat, with provisional results awaiting certification by the Independent Electoral Commission.
Several councillors were noted as absent, with concerns raised about consistent absences from both special and ordinary council meetings. The Speaker indicated this matter would be addressed through proper channels.
The council also received and approved minutes from multiple previous meetings, including ordinary and special council sessions held between July and October 2025, as well as mayoral committee meeting minutes.
Looking ahead
The municipality faces ongoing challenges in waste management and service delivery, issues that have historically plagued the municipality. The council’s focus on both immediate interventions at the existing landfill site and long-term planning for a new facility demonstrates an effort to address these concerns systematically.
The animal control by-laws represent another step toward improving municipal services, with the emphasis on community engagement reflecting lessons learned from previous policy implementations.
Council members expressed appreciation for the collaborative approach taken on these matters, with the Executive Mayor noting the importance of partnership in finding solutions to the municipality’s service delivery challenges.
