Statement by Executive Mayor, Dan Plato.
This morning, the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Department caught the occupants of a vehicle who were illegally dumping construction material along Baden Powell Drive, fined the driver and impounded the vehicle.
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.
Between July and December 2018, our staff impounded 21 vehicles and issued fines totalling R94 950 in terms of the Integrated Waste Management By-Law.
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 rands 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 on Tuesday 15 January 2019. The driver was fined and the bakkie was impounded
Just 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
Source: City Of Cape Town