The AfriForum branch in Paulpietersburg decided to give the eDumbe Local Municipality junk status for service delivery and for the foul-smelling cloud of smoke hanging over the town at night. This smoke is caused by a smouldering landfill site that has been smouldering for several days and has not been addressed by the Municipality.
The local AfriForum branch placed the Municipality on terms and at the same time the respective Departments of Environmental Affairs at provincial and national level were informed of the continuing problem.
“The health of our residents in Paulpietersburg is at risk, especially at night when a cloud of smoke forms over the town. The contribution of taxpayers to the local government’s budget is more than R26 million and it is unacceptable to leave the landfill site in this condition,” says Martin Dedekind, Chairman of AfriForum’s Paulpietersburg branch.
“AfriForum’s recent landfill site audits showed that landfill sites in KwaZulu-Natal are deteriorating and it is necessary to get the provincial and national authorities involved. eDumbe Local Municipality received an estimated R18 million in 2017 to develop a new landfill site, but the national Department of Environmental Affairs was not happy with the running of the project and decided to withhold the funds,” says Eugene van Aswegen, AfriForum’s Provincial Coordinator for KwaZulu-Natal.
AfriForum aims to hold further talks with the Department of Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal to discuss the revolting condition of landfill sites in this province.