Cape Town – The City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Department caught the occupants of a vehicle in the act of illegally dumping construction material along Baden Powell Drive on Monday, fining the driver and impounding the vehicle.
According to Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security and Social Services JP Smith, "this inconsiderate and illegal behaviour costs the City more than R300 million a year to try and clean up", while the City has 26 drop-off sites.
Between July and December 2018, the City impounded 21 vehicles and issued fines totalling R94 950 in terms of the Integrated Waste Management By-Law.
Mayor Dan Plato said: "The type of behaviour displayed by these offenders is completely unacceptable and is a risk not only to the environment, but also to public health.
"I have asked the City’s Law Enforcement officials to be extra vigilant with those suspected of illegal dumping as they are placing a massive burden on our staff to keep our communities clean when it is private businesses who are making this mess.
"The City of Cape Town has 26 drop-off sites for garden refuse, builders’ materials and any other items that do not fit into household wheelie bins. These are more than sufficient to ensure the legal and safe disposal of waste.
"Any person found to be dumping illegally is issued with a Section 56 written notice, which carries a fine of R5 000. The dumper is also liable for an impoundment release fee of R8 426 before they can reclaim their vehicle.
"I am calling on the community to report illegal dumping to 021 480 7700 from a cell phone or 107 from a landline. We urge members of the public to help us catch these criminals who are polluting our communities and effectively forcing the City to spend millions of rand each year to clean up their dirty deeds – money that can be spent more effectively on service delivery."
Other incidents recorded in the last week include:
– The driver of a bakkie dumping waste at the corner of Parklands Main Road and Sandown Road last Tuesday. The driver was fined and the bakkie was impounded
– Three days later, officers on patrol along Baden Powell Drive in Khayelitsha came across boxes of dumped meat along the side of the road. While attending to the matter, they spotted the driver of another vehicle illegally dumping materials across the road.