Illegal dumping in Cape Town costs ratepayers hundreds of rands every year, and the backlog of illegal dumping needing attention continues to grow.
Unfortunately, education and awareness efforts about how to responsibly dispose of waste also fall on deaf ears as not everyone adheres. Even applying fines and confiscating vehicles involved in dumping sometimes fails to change behaviour.
Given the massive challenge, the City faces, it needs to get creative and innovate. In this regard, the City has developed a new outreach and enforcement strategy that is gaining momentum in Bellville CBD. This is known as the Auxiliary Law Enforcement Project. This project is a more intensive response to the challenge of illegal dumping than ever before, in that it involves physical cleansing, education and enforcement working together around illegal dumping hotspots.
As part of the project cleansing staff working in the Cleansing Rapid Response Programme will remove dumped waste at dumping hotspots while auxiliary law enforcement officers engage the community and help to mobilise them against dumping. Thirty-five auxiliary officers have been appointed and a further 75 will be appointed via the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to participate in this effort, which has a budget of approximately R3,5 million.
‘One of the main targets of this project is to sensitise residents to the broken windows concept. This theory basically says that visible signs of disorder and neglect will attract crime and anti-social behaviour to communities. Illegal dumping is one of these signs of neglect. If areas can be kept in good condition it can even have a positive effective on other crimes.
Many times residents in areas that are buckling under illegal dumping still blame the City for dirty conditions, saying they have been forgotten. However these same people don’t report someone who litters or dumps to the authorities. This project is designed to show that we have not forgotten about communities (through cleansing activities) and at the same time promote reporting illegal dumping. Hopefully this will be more effective in changing attitudes around waste,’ said Alderman Grant Twigg, Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management.
The City has launched a 24-hour toll-free number (0800 110077) to report tip-offs about illegal dumping activity. Those convicted of illegal dumping could be fined up to R5 000, have their vehicle impounded, or face a two-year prison sentence. In addition, for every report that leads to a fine and conviction, the City is offering a reward from R1 000 up to R5 000, depending on the offence.
