Residents of the close-knit community of Fernwood are up in arms over illegal dumping which has caused the entire drainage system to be blocked, resulting in flooding and an unbearable stench.
Ward committee secretary, Rajendra Jaggernath, said illegal dumping needed to be addressed. He said the first challenge was to deal with the stormwater drains damaged by people and the old infrastructure.
A resident, who only wanted to be known as Mr Yunus, spent R5800 to clean the drains and the area, only for people to start dumping again.
“A few months ago during the summer rain, the drains became blocked. The entire area flooded to a point where two houses were partially submerged.
The owner, Mr Yunus took it upon himself to clean the area and the drains so that the water can flow into the catchment area with ease,” said Jaggernath.
He further explained that the issue of illegal dumping in the catchment area is one of the major concerns as it is the catalyst to the flooding. “The entire drainage system has become blocked as a result. This is just one of the many stormwater drains which are blocked in Fernwood,” he said.
Jaggernath suggested that the municipality erect a “no dumping” sign and issue fines to those who are caught illegally dumping. “Another suggestion is to transform the area into a community garden, but we cannot do this without the assistance of our municipality,” he said.
Baboo Singh, a ward committee member explained that the stench and flood water was also a health hazard to the community.
“When the summer rains approach, the stagnant water attracts rodents, mosquitoes and flies. This can also affect the health of the residents who live nearby. We would greatly appreciate the assistance of the municipality in this regard,” said Singh.
Head of Communications at The Newcastle Municipality, Mlungisi Khumalo said that this is a serious issue that needs urgent attention. “Illegal dumping is the scourge of our town and is caused by irresponsible citizens. The municipality services all households in Newcastle with a weekly refuse collection schedule and furthermore provides residents access to various dumping sites in Newcastle. Residents are urged to report illegal dumping to the municipality where our Law Enforcement Section will investigate and take necessary action against the perpetrators. As a municipality, we stand by our motto of being caring and people-centred. The municipality will therefore dispatch a team to assess the blocked stormwater drains as soon as possible,” said Khumalo.
