Garbage and filth on streets and uncut grass is the bane of life for Vergenoeg residents, who blame Buffalo City Municipality for not keeping the suburb clean. Ward councillor Irene Brauns said the state of the area was appalling. “I have reported the long grass and scattered rubbish several times to the municipality, but nothing is ever done about it.
People say that I am not doing my job but they forget that I also have to live in such filth,” she said.
Brauns said the long grass was often a haven for criminals.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the area on Monday residents were seen sweeping rubbish from their driveways and children were playing in the long grass that grows over and among dumped rubbish.
Neville Klein, who lives in the area, said stray dogs and pigs were the biggest culprits for re-distributing the rubbish.
“There are too many stray pigs and dogs around here, and they are digging in the rubbish.
“Some people forget to put their rubbish out on Mondays and take it out the following day, and then the dogs are playing and messing around with it the whole week.”
Resident Grace Jacobs claimed that the filth in the open veld near her home was causing problems for her.
“I have been trying to sell my home for years now, but nobody wants to stay next to a dumpsite with a stench you can smell while cooking in your kitchen. Over weekends or in the evenings I can hear people screaming and crying in the long grass, they are probably being raped there.”
Jacobs said she would prefer it if the open land next to her house would be used as a community park or if the site was sold to a church.
Catherine Sampson urged the municipality to install a waste skip in the area from where they could collect the rubbish.
“We ought to have a big central cage in which we can throw our black bags which hobos and dogs won’t be able to access because they are the ones scattering the rubbish when the municipality does not collect on time.”
Sampson said this would be the solution to all their problems.
“It would also be ideal to have a glass bin so that those who go through our rubbish don’t struggle to find the bottles they sell.”
Responding to the comments Buffalo City spokesman Thandy Matebese said: “It is not always possible to stick to the schedule due to various reasons such as faulty trucks, off-loading of truck, staff absenteeism (sick leave or others).”
He provided some tips on how residents should manage waste at their home or business (see sidebar) in the event of their waste not being collected on time.
Matebese said: “Grass cutting is done from time to time in the BCM area but it’s a fact that the metro’s jurisdiction is quite vast and therefore it would seem that the period in between cuts is long.”
He added that weather conditions also affect the schedule; for instance rain not only halts the schedule but makes the grass grow faster.
“We would like to encourage residents to work with their ward councillors and ward committees concerning service delivery issues,” he added.
Life stinks alongside garbage
People say that I am not doing my job but they forget that I also have to live in such filth,” she said.
Brauns said the long grass was often a haven for criminals.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the area on Monday residents were seen sweeping rubbish from their driveways and children were playing in the long grass that grows over and among dumped rubbish.
Neville Klein, who lives in the area, said stray dogs and pigs were the biggest culprits for re-distributing the rubbish.
“There are too many stray pigs and dogs around here, and they are digging in the rubbish.
“Some people forget to put their rubbish out on Mondays and take it out the following day, and then the dogs are playing and messing around with it the whole week.”
Resident Grace Jacobs claimed that the filth in the open veld near her home was causing problems for her.
“I have been trying to sell my home for years now, but nobody wants to stay next to a dumpsite with a stench you can smell while cooking in your kitchen. Over weekends or in the evenings I can hear people screaming and crying in the long grass, they are probably being raped there.”
Jacobs said she would prefer it if the open land next to her house would be used as a community park or if the site was sold to a church.
Catherine Sampson urged the municipality to install a waste skip in the area from where they could collect the rubbish.
“We ought to have a big central cage in which we can throw our black bags which hobos and dogs won’t be able to access because they are the ones scattering the rubbish when the municipality does not collect on time.”
Sampson said this would be the solution to all their problems.
“It would also be ideal to have a glass bin so that those who go through our rubbish don’t struggle to find the bottles they sell.”
Responding to the comments Buffalo City spokesman Thandy Matebese said: “It is not always possible to stick to the schedule due to various reasons such as faulty trucks, off-loading of truck, staff absenteeism (sick leave or others).”
He provided some tips on how residents should manage waste at their home or business (see sidebar) in the event of their waste not being collected on time.
Matebese said: “Grass cutting is done from time to time in the BCM area but it’s a fact that the metro’s jurisdiction is quite vast and therefore it would seem that the period in between cuts is long.”
He added that weather conditions also affect the schedule; for instance rain not only halts the schedule but makes the grass grow faster.
“We would like to encourage residents to work with their ward councillors and ward committees concerning service delivery issues,” he added.
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