AfriForum audited 135 landfill sites nationwide this year as part of its national project to measure the standard of landfill sites in South Africa.
None of the 25 landfill sites that were audited in the Free State adhered to national standards. In terms of applicable legislation and regulations, including the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (No. 59 of 2008), a landfill site must adhere to specific standards.
This is how the landfill sites in the Free State compare:
| Name of branch/landfill site | Municipality/ Responsible authority | Licence number | Compliance score (%) | |||||
| Free State | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | ||
| Allanridge | Matjhabeng LM | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| Bethlehem | Dihlabeng LM | – | – | – | 56 | 22 | 16 | 6 |
| Bloemfontein North | Mangaung Metro | 16/2/7/C351/2/289 | 72 | 96 | 89 | 18 | 10 | 16 |
| Bloemfontein South | Mangaung Metro | 16/2/7/C351/2/289 | 68 | 80 | 68 | 18 | 14 | 20 |
| Boshof | Tokologo LM | – | – | – | 19 | 11 | 18 | 26 |
| Bothaville | Nala LM | 16/2/7/C604/D1/Z1/P340 | 8 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 4 |
| Brandfort | Masilonyana LM | WML/BAR/13/2014 | 4 | 24 | 9 | – | 2 | 2 |
| Bultfontein | Tswelopele LM | WML/BAR/07/2014 | – | – | 42 | – | 24 | 28 |
| Dealesville | Tokologo LM | 12/9/11/L886/2 | 52 | 31 | 3 | 26 | 52 | |
| Edenville | Ngwathe LM | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| Frankfort | Mafube LM | – | 48 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Harrismith | Maluti-A-Phofung LM | – | 24 | 16 | – | 20 | 13 | 18 |
| Heilbron | Ngwathe LM | – | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Odendaalsrus | Matjhabeng LM | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | 2 |
| Hennenman | Matjhbeng LM | – | – | – | – | – | 26 | 0 |
| Kroonstad | Moqhaka LM | – | – | – | – | – | 16 | 8 |
| Hertzogville | Tokologo LM | WML/BAR/10/2014 | – | – | – | 52 | 36 | 56 |
| Parys | Ngwathe LM | 16/2/7/C233//D1/Z1/P336 | – | – | – | 8 | 16 | 8 |
| Petrus Steyn | Nketoana LM | – | 8 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Reitz | Nketoana LM | 16/2/7/C805/D4/721/P341 | 68 | – | – | – | 13 | 12 |
| Sasolburg | Metsimaholo LM | – | – | 36 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 |
| Senekal | Setsoto LM | – | – | – | – | 23 | – | 22 |
| Steynsrus | Moqhaka LM | B33/2/340/88/P112 | – | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| Theunissen | Masilonyana LM | 16/2/7/c402/D3/21/D339 | – | 24 | 33 | – | 24 | 8 |
| Verkeerdevlei | Mosilonyana LM | WML/BAR/15/2014 | – | – | 6 | – | – | – |
| Virginia transfer station | Matjhabeng LM | – | – | – | – | – | 6 | – |
| Welkom | Matjhabeng LM | B33/2/340/32/P85 | 16 | 33 | – | 13 | 12 | |
| Winburg | Masilonyana LM | B33/2/340/20/P48 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 54 | 28 |
The audit consists of a list of 33 questions that measure the minimum requirements for landfill sites in South Africa and includes factors such as access control, fires, medical waste, fencing, rehabilitation etc. A landfill site must obtain at least 80% to comply with legislation.
According to Jp Nel, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Hoogland, the landfill sites in the Free State are in a shameful state. “Most landfill sites are in a poor condition; only 2 out of 28 sites obtained more than 50%. This can be ascribed mainly to poor management by municipalities, as well as regulations and laws that are not followed. In some cases, certain sites are not maintained at all, while garbage lay around the site for kilometers.”
Alta Pretorius, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Mooi River, says the most common problems AfriForum identified during the audit were the absence of waste management licences, and the complete mismanagement of sites. “Most of the sites do not have the necessary personnel to manage the sites and there is practically no access control, which means that anything is dumped on the sites. The lack of access control furthermore allows for people to live on the landfill sites.”
AfriForum branches will also exercise pressure on authorities in their areas to establish waste monitoring committees to improve the waste management process. These committees will consist of municipalities and interested parties wanting to improve waste management in a particular town. AfriForum will arrange a meeting with Barbara Creecy, Minister of Environmental Affairs, to identify sites that need to be restored and reach the necessary standards.
The audit report will also be submitted to the Green Scorpions for further investigation and action against non-compliant municipalities. AfriForum will continuously monitor the process to ensure that landfill sites are improved to reach the required standards.
- Read the report here.
