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The DA in Mogalakwena has written to Municipal Manager, Mr Maluleke and Community Services Manager, Mr Mashishi to urgently address multiple concerns before implementing the ‘no permit no entry' policy at landfill sites.

The new by-law that requires residents to apply for a permit to dispose of waste at landfills will apply to both the Mokopane and Rebone landfill sites. It is aimed at ensuring efficient management of the landfill sites and the volume of waste they receive and it is also meant to address illegal dumping.

The permit policy is meant to be implemented from the 1st of September, however it has become glaringly obvious that the municipality is not ready and has not addressed major challenges such as an outcry from residents over the exorbitant fees for permits to access legal dumping areas.

These excessive permit fees may lead to increases in incidents of illegal dumping and threaten to affect the profitability of many small businesses that contribute to employment in the municipality. The fees also do not take affordability into consideration in ensuring access to municipal services as set out in the Municipal Waste Management by-law.

The tariffs for waste disposal are based on the weight of the waste, but due to the weighbridges at the landfills not working the municipality intends to charge based on vehicle weight and this is not a fair pricing structure as quantities of waste in the same type of vehicle may differ.

The municipal councillors and the public in Mogalakwena also need to be briefed on the details, processes and structure of this policy before it is implemented.

The DA has offered suggestions to improve the implementation of this policy:

Tariffs need to be reviewed to take into account the affordability for residents and businesses and the municipality needs to have working weighbridges before the policy is implemented;

Implement the permit system on an annual basis, this will make it more cost effective for businesses and residents, while also encouraging them to use the landfills and not dump illegally;

Recycling businesses be exempt from this permit system as they contribute to lessening recyclable waste that would usually end up on the landfills; and

All ward councillors have a meeting with the relevant municipal department for a proper briefing and be given an opportunity to raise public concerns before implementation.

While we understand the purpose of this policy and the need for it, more planning is required before it is implemented.

The residents of Mogalakwena deserve to live in a clean municipality that has well-run landfill sites that are affordable to access.

Issued by Cllr Yolande Coetzee - DA Caucus Leader in Mogalakwena Local Municipality