The municipality has blamed homeless people for a spate of fires at the dump that residents complain are creating a health hazard.
The municipality has blamed homeless people for a spate of fires at the dump that residents complain are creating a health hazard.
Prompted by residents' complaints about the smoke from the dump that affects nearby areas almost daily, municipal spokesperson Mncedisi Boma visited the facility this week, accompanied by Grocott's Mail.
The dump is a disused kaolin mine on the Cradock Road, just beyond the Grahamstown Riding Club. Boma expressed shock at its state and said most of the fires were started by vagrants who lived there illegally.
"They make fires to cook there, or burn metal stuff to sell. Sometimes the fire is caused by [explosive materials], especially when it is extremely hot," he said.
Boma said there was no one managing the site. He said it was a difficult situation, because the people who lived there were looking for food, or items they can sell.
"It is meant for the municipality to dump waste, but they are there and start these fires. It is a difficult one, because they are not supposed to be there," he said.
Boma said the municipality planned to appoint two people responsible for managing the dump site. "We took a decision at the [recent mayoral]lekgotla that we will appoint these two people.
One will be outside as a security person and the other one will be inside, overseeing the running of the site.
"We are in the process of preparing a proposal for funding to manage the site, so that it can operate to the required standard," he said.
