By Ruanda Meyer | DA Chief Whip Metsimaholo Municipality
Note to editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Ruanda Meyer and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL. Please see the pictures here, here, here, and here.
A recent oversight visit by the DA has revealed serious challenges at the VaalPark Mini Dump Site in Metsimaholo Local Municipality. DA Councillor Ruanda Meyer conducted the visit after receiving numerous complaints from residents regarding the deteriorating state of the facility.
The site is operational but has reached full capacity. Currently, only one tipper truck is functional and is used to transport waste to the Sasolburg landfill site. During these trips, residents attempting to use the mini dump are redirected to Sasolburg because the bins at the site remain full. Compounding the issue is a broken tipper truck equipped with a sling for handling containers, which is undergoing repairs and preventing the emptying of containers at the site.
After discussions with the site official, efforts are being made to accommodate residents as much as possible with their garden waste disposal. Two additional tipper trucks, also in the mechanical workshop, will be assigned to the mini dump once repairs are completed. However, the overall state of neglect at the Vaal Park Mini dump should urgently be addressed by senior management.
The VaalPark Mini Dump site, which is used for garden refuse for VaalPark residents, is currently managed by only four staff members: one driver for the tipper truck and three gate controllers responsible for overseeing all operations.
We will raise questions with the Municipal Manager, urging immediate intervention, as the Department of Solid Waste is unable to manage the site effectively. The DA is committed to improving service delivery and will continue fighting for better services for our communities.