Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Cllr Mbali Mnaba.
The Democratic Alliance applauds Fezile Dabi District Municipality for recently conducting a district-wide landfill site audit in an effort to assist struggling local municipalities. The audit has revealed serious compliance gaps at landfill sites across Moqhaka, Metsimaholo, Mafube, and Ngwathe.
However, this is not a new revelation. For years, local municipal landfill sites have struggled with non-compliance with the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008, creating environmental risks that can no longer be ignored.
The deterioration of landfill sites due to non-compliance poses a massive risk to the health of residents and the environment. Addressing this matter will not only ensure that residents’ health is protected but will also restore the cleanliness of the environment.
The audit, which was tabled at the District Environmental Health portfolio committee recently, highlighted serious shortcomings across local municipalities, which include no access control or fencing, lack of signposting, inadequate operational plans, burning of waste, insufficient fleet and equipment, poor security, no ablution facilities, no land set aside for future operations, uncontrolled salvaging and encroachments, and ineffective management the list goes on.
In response to this crisis, Fezile Dabi District has:
- Issued compliance inspection reports with clear recommendations to all affected municipalities to align with the Waste Act.
- Engaged the District Waste Management Officers Forum and the provincial authority (DESTEA) to ensure corrective actions are enforced.
- Established a multi-stakeholder task team (DFFE, Water and Sanitation, DESTEA, FS COGTA, FDDM, and Metsimaholo LM) to secure land, designs, and environmental studies for a new Metsimaholo landfill site.
- Assisted some municipalities with MIG applications and shared technical expertise with support from the Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO).
- Partnered with SALGA, DFFE, and FS COGTA to arrange workshops on landfill legislation, compliance, and waste classification standards for councillors and officials.
While the District will continue to enforce compliance and provide technical support, it is clear that municipalities cannot resolve the landfill crisis on their own.
The way forward lies in stronger private-public partnerships that must form the backbone of sustainable waste management, bringing in investment, innovation, and expertise to complement the government’s role.