The civil rights watchdog AfriForum audited the landfill site in Klerksdorp on 13 October 2017 and found that the site is not only managed inefficiently, but also violates national standards. Potchefstroom (the Felophepa landfill site) performed very well again and passed the audit with 90%. The national audit forms part of an annual campaign during which landfill sites in towns across South Africa where AfriForum branches are active are audited according to 25 questions.
According to applicable legislation and regulation, among other the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (Act No 59 of 2008), a landfill site must adhere to specific requirements. These include factors such as access control, illegal dumping, fire regulations, fencing and rehabilitation. A landfill site must achieve at least 80% to adhere to regulation. Potchefstroom’s landfill site adhered to most of the requirements, but some animal remains were dumped illegally and cost the site some marks.
“Klerksdorp’s landfill site only achieved 44%. The site does not have a waste management licence and fencing is insufficient; people even live on the site right next to the garbage, which is a great health risk. On the other hand, it maintains some degree of access control and has a weigh bridge, but this is unfortunately as far as control goes on this site. Moreover, illegal garbage is also accepted here,” says Stephen Nel, AfriForum’s Assistant Coordinator for the Central Region.
AfriForum’s Klerksdorp branch will write a letter to the City of Matlosana Local Municipality that will include the audit report as well as an urgent request to act before further deterioration occurs.
Other land fill sites audited in the province achieved the following marks:
Best achievement – Potchefstroom with 90%
Poorest achievement – Bloemhof/Christiana with 2% and Ottosdal/Sannieshof with 2%
AfriForum will monitor the process continuously to ensure that landfill sites that underperform are brought up to scratch.