Note to Editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Cllr Teboho Thulo, Afrikaans soundbite by Cllr Louis van Heerden and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Stone Makhema. See attached pictures here, here, and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Metsimaholo will intensify its ongoing oversight in Ward 13 by identifying problem areas in refuse collection, formally engaging the municipality to ensure accountability, enforcing corrective measures, closely monitoring compliance, and reporting progress to the community.
This intervention follows persistent failures in refuse removal, which have directly contributed to the deterioration of living conditions for residents.
The DA calls for:
- Immediate and consistent waste collection schedules to prevent skips from overflowing.
- A comprehensive clean-up of all residual waste currently scattered around skip sites.
- A long-term waste management plan that prevents soil erosion and environmental harm caused by unmanaged refuse.
For several weeks, residents have been raising their frustrations as overflowing skips have led to refuse being dumped around the containers, creating unhygienic and unsafe living conditions.
This pattern of delayed waste removal has unfortunately become a recurring issue in the municipality, placing unnecessary burdens on communities and contributing to environmental degradation. When skips are not cleared on time, waste spills onto the ground, contaminating soil, attracting pests, and posing health risks to residents.
After an oversight visit in Ward 13, the municipal skips were cleared. While this is a positive step, it is clear that much more work remains to be done to restore cleanliness and dignity in the affected areas.
The DA will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure that the municipality fulfils its responsibility to provide reliable and timely refuse removal services.
Ward 13 residents deserve clean, healthy, and well-maintained surroundings, and we remain committed to holding the municipality accountable until sustainable solutions are implemented.