“Dumping is affecting our mental health.”
So says community worker and Ward 48 Men’s Programme participant, Glenn Hans.
“I can’t take it anymore. This causes our youth to go into depression because all they see is just dumping and negativity. This is something that must change. If our norms don’t change, our kids will always struggle to learn. We have the resources with the right information to change the norms. There are programmes that we do at schools where we try to change the behaviour of kids, but then you realise these kids are already traumatised and depressed from the things that are going on and the things they see. Dumping is one of the biggest problems we have in our communities,” says Hans.
The specific hotspots for dumping exist throughout the Hanover Park area, with some already encroaching on the main roads.
Hans says a specific pile of dumping outside Athwood Primary School is particularly bad.
Made worse by the fact that it is located a mere few metres from the waste drop-off site, says Ward 48 councillor Dr Zahid Badroodien.
“We are so fortunate to have a waste drop-off facility right here. Others travel far distances for the facility that is right on our doorstep,” he says.
“In this part of Hanover Park and the Pinati Estate section, there are a number of dumping hotspots, especially the courts. We have on a number of occasions reported the dumping, which gets picked up by the City of Cape Town, but soon after more dumping follows. The residents know that when the councillor or community reports these issues, the City attends to them very quickly because it is one of the mayor’s priorities ultimately – a clean City of Cape Town.”
Badroodien says the City spends around R30 million on cleaning up dumping across the City.
“In Hanover Park, we sadly contribute to some of that. We also know dumping comes too naturally to some of our residents, unfortunately, it is what seems to be an entrenched behavioural approach to try and dispose of some waste in these courts and areas. We are trying to address this through the necessary campaigns, but also working with the community to help clean up after themselves,” says Badroodien.
Hans says residents must do more.
“We know that some people are dumping for drugs or to take things to the scrap yards to get some money, but there are also residents paying others to go and dump for them. That is also something disturbing me. It is bringing down our people. A child who is 12, what do they know? They know how to speak negatively. This is normal. At the end, we have the right people to make the difference and bring the change,” says Hans.
“Dumping is not the answer. The answer is to do the right thing. I am proud of my community, yet there are a lot of challenges. We can overcome these challenges if we just give the platform to the right people to educate us and bring change.”
Hans says they will plan a clean-up of the area involving some of the youth.
The pile of rubbish includes household waste, clothing, tires, car parts, electronics casings and building rubble, among other items.
In the mass of dirt, half a municipal refuse bin can also be seen peaking out.
Badroodien acknowledges that waste disposal is a problem in the area and courts.
“We have had extra bins placed here. We have had them chained, but that has not worked. It still gets stolen. Waste disposal is a huge problem and the City will need to deliver more bins – it is essential. We will need to come up with other strategies,” he says.
Badroodien says the City has measures in place to deal with the dumping on a more micro scale. One of these is the appointment of a small street-sweeping team, made up of residents.
“These are residents from the area who have needed to clean up after their own neighbours, simply because we don’t make use of bins and other waste removal services effectively. The contract has come to an end, but in the new financial year another R500 000 has been allocated to re-establish the teams in order to tackle dumping in the subcouncil area,” he says.
