Cape Town - The construction of a new waste drop-off facility at a cost of R92.7 million has residents of Parkwood hot under the collar as they said there more pressing issues like overpopulation, housing, unemployment and gangsterism to spend the money on.
The City said this facility along Prince George Drive was part of the Solid Waste Department’s R218 million investment to upgrade current drop-off facilities and build new facilities to make waste minimisation more convenient for residents while reducing pressure on landfills and the environment.
Water and Waste Mayco member Xanthea Limberg said this new addition to the drop-off family would offer all the major waste management activities and include a chipping shed, a ramp for general waste and builders’ rubble as well as a mini-material recovery facility.
Parkwood resident Arief Ely said most of the residents were unhappy with the new development taking place right next to them, especially with the amount of money being spent on the drop-off facility when people in the area were in need of basic necessities such as housing and food.
“The same land could not be allocated for housing but it could be allocated for this new drop-off facility and I am sure the crime rate in the area will be much higher because it’s easier for people to drop off stolen stuff from our areas now,” said Ely.
Parkwood Youth representative and Rise Up chairperson Abduragiem Adams felt they could have utilised the money for something to brighten up their under-resourced community such as youth development, community empowerment projects or more Expanded Public Works Programmes for locals to sustain themselves.
Another resident Charlene Abrahams said the space should have been used for a multitude of other projects that addressed the more pressing issues in the area such as gangsterism.
Parkwood ward councillor William Akiem said: “Housing is a national challenge that we have in South Africa that national, provincial and local government are addressing.
“It's the responsibility of national government to deploy more police to the areas and we as residents must assist and report offenders. Government and the private sector must work together in creating jobs.”