- Flies, cockroaches and a terrible stench is how residents of Sandpiper Avenue in Grassy Park describe living next to a canal “piled with garbage”.
- Residents claimed repeated efforts to have the City of Cape Town remove the rubbish have fallen on deaf ears.
- People’s Post reached out to Ward 67 councillor Gerry Gordon, who confirmed residents had highlighted the issue.
Flies, cockroaches and a terrible stench is how residents of Sandpiper Avenue in Grassy Park describe living next to a canal “piled with garbage”.
“The smell and dirt are terrible,” says Vanessa Jacobs. “We have been fighting to have waste collected and are just fed-up.”
She claimed repeated efforts to have the City of Cape Town remove the rubbish have fallen on deaf ears.
“It has been more than three months since City of Cape Town contractors arrived to remove dirt from the canal, but they just piled it next to the river and never collected the rubbish.
“When you walk further up to Fifth Avenue there is a big pile of mess the council just left there too. Residents, including the elderly, have complained about the smell.”
Meanwhile, Delmaine Jacobs further explained the City usually collected rubbish, but this time it simply was not the case.
“At the start of November the City had a clean-up and arrived with tractors to push the piles of dirt and rubbish into one pile on the side of the canal. Usually a day or two later they come to remove it, but this time around they never arrived.
“We have been in contact with our ward councillor to ask why there is such a delay because the rubbish is causing flies, roaches, mice and rats.”
Resident Jonathan Hendricks said a heavy stench hung in the area and multiple complaints had been logged.
“The whole canal has been affected and there’s a heavy stench in the area. All we are asking is collect the rubbish. As residents we are frustrated and escalated the issue to our ward councillor on numerous occasions.
“We are now sitting with big piles of dirt all over the show that the City has left behind. Why would they start cleaning up in November and not complete the process?”
People’s Post reached out to Ward 67 councillor Gerry Gordon, who confirmed residents had highlighted the issue.
“You need to address this to the department,” she said. “On my part I have requested it to be removed. It is incorrect to say I had not done anything as my office has proof about our communication with the officials.
“I have also been in contact with the residents and communicated via my official WhatsApp group and asked that they tell me if it’s not collected.
“As ward councillor I have communicated with both the residents and officials.”
The City of Cape Town did not comment at the time of publication.
