The civil rights organisation AfriForum will soon deliver a refuse removal service to residents of Bloemfontein.
This follows after many residents submitted complaints to AfriForum of poor service delivery regarding refuse removal. The civil rights watchdog already on 18 August sent a letter of demand to the municipality to urgently attend to this problem, however no feedback has yet been received.
According to Jaco Grobbelaar, AfriForum’s Head of Community Structures for the central region, the project was launched with the aim of ensuring that refuse removal in the city occurs in a sustainable manner.
“The Mangaung Metro is failing to fulfil its real duties towards the community. In addition, refuse that has been standing on the side of the street for months contains both a health and safety risk to the community and it is our duty as civil rights organisation to ensure that basic services are delivered and civil rights are protected,” says Grobbelaar.
Grobbelaar furthermore says that municipal service delivery will in future only worsen as a result of misappropriation and corruption among municipal officials.
“The best solution for this is to start delivering services such as refuse removal ourselves.”
AfriForum intends on rolling out this service at the beginning of September. AfriForum members that want to make use of this service will pay an amount of R163 per month and non-members R179.
Residents registering for the service will receive 15 AfriForum refuse bags each month and the refuse will be removed once a week. The service includes the removal of both domestic and garden refuse.
Residents can join the project by visiting AfriForum’s website at www.vullisverwydering.antiek.afriforum.co.za or by SMSing “Refuse” to 45266 (R1). The complete refuse removal schedule is available on the website.