Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Cllr Stone Makhema and Afrikaans soundbite by Cllr Louis van Heerden. See attached pictures here, here and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will launch a petition on poor refuse collection and removal in Metsimaholo. This follows a devastating state of refuse in areas of Amelia and Iraq in Zamdela.
For years now, the people in these areas have been subjected to unequal service delivery by the Metsimaholo local municipality, a problem the DA has raised in many instances, but which has now prompted serious action.
Skip bins have long serviced the areas of Amelia and Iraq, whereas refuse in other areas is collected through house-to-house collection. This means a truck will attend to each street and house to ensure that refuse is removed.
Furthermore, illegal dumping receives considerable attention in other areas.
The continuous skip bin service has contributed to a severe pollution problem. It’s been months now; the skip bins have not been attended to, and residents live their daily lives with rubbish, poor smells, and unhealthy conditions, as if it’s normal, due to the municipality’s neglect.
We have been informed that the contract of the previous waste removal service provider has expired, yet no concrete plan has been put in place to date.
The current system of only a TLB and a tipper truck is not helping, as they are always directed to other towns and other tasks. At some point, only three bins out of more than a hundred are cleaned, if we are ever lucky enough to have them in the area.
Municipalities must ensure that basic services, such as refuse collection and a clean, safe, and healthy environment, are maintained. It is now time for Metsimaholo to address these challenges immediately.
We will always stand for equal rights and equal provision of services for all residents. We need action NOW!