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GHASTLY: The trash that was being dumped at George Lea Park, Sandton, had been there so long that weeds had started sprouting from the piles of rubbish. Pictures: Moeletsi Mabe
CLEAN-UP work in George Lea Park in Sandton should be completed by Monday.
This follows Metrowatch’s story on February 12, “Pretty green park reduced to a dump”, highlighting the fact that the once-pristine green lung had been converted into a rubbish dump.
City Parks decided to step in to clear the rubbish even though the land officially belongs to the Joburg Property Company.
The clean-up started almost immediately, but has taken some weeks because of the volume of rubbish.
The piles of rubble were metres high and had been there so long that weeds had started growing out of them.
City Parks spokeswoman Jenny Moodley said they had had a “grab” truck in place since last week that was removing the heaps of illegally dumped rubble.
BACK TO BASICS: Although George Lea Park is no longer zoned as a park, City Parks wanted to help to get this once-pretty spot in the heart of Sandton back to its former beauty. It should all be cleared by Monday.
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“While the open space is no longer zoned as a park, City Parks has opted to remove the rubble to reinstate the integrity of this once-pristine green space in the heart of Sandton.
“The last piles of rubble will be removed by Monday.
“This will be supported by the erecting of bollards in July to deter would-be dumpers from entering the site,” she said.
Dumping had continued even though a “no dumping” sign had been put up at the entrance.
City Parks and Pikitup are being inundated with requests to remove illegally dumped rubble at huge costs to ratepayers in the city, she said.
However, this could be avoided if residents ensured that the companies that they were contracting to remove building waste were authorised and were definitely transporting it to the nearest landfill site.
“The impact of illegal dumping on the environment, and socio-economically, is far-reaching.
“City Parks is finding that spaces that have become dumping hot spots are also attracting a criminal element.
“The onus is therefore on all of us to act responsibly when disposing of waste,” she said.
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