Out of the 189 landfill sites that AfriForum has audited across the country, the largest number of landfills that have passed are located in the Western Cape. A total of 12 landfill sites met at least 80% of the audit requirements. The landfill sites in Gansbaai, Malmesbury, Vredenburg and Wellington, as well as the Langebaan transfer station, also met 100% of the minimum legal requirements for responsible waste management.
A total of 38 landfill sites were visited in this province, of which 34 were formally audited, while four sites were closed.
However, not all the Western Cape landfill sites have fared well. The landfill site in Lutzville met none of the audit requirements, while both Bitterfontein, Nuwerus and Klawer only met 6% of the requirements. The transfer stations in Knysna performed just as poorly. The Knysna Old Place transfer station, that is used for garden waste, met 12% of the requirements, while the Knysna Sedgefield transfer station, where, among other things, construction debris is dumped, met 22% of the audit requirements.
This is how the landfill sites in Western Cape compare:
According to Jacques Benade, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Boland Region, most landfill sites in the Western Cape are in a worse than expected condition. “Garbage from any urban area not only creates an aesthetic problem, but also poses serious health risks if it is not managed effectively. It would be regrettable if the standards of landfill sites in the Western Cape, like those of other provinces, continue to retrogress.”
AfriForum is already planning a meeting with Dr. Dion George, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DBFO), to share the landfill audit report’s findings with him and request a formal investigation against Western Cape’s non-compliant municipalities. AfriForum is of the opinion that South Africans’ constitutional rights, such as the right to a clean and healthy environment, are being denied by the poor management of landfill sites, therefore the DBVO will urgently have to call municipalities to account.
Jacques Benade
District Coordinator: Boland
AfriForum
Cell: 081 217 0008
Email: jacques.benade@afriforum.co.za
Wes-Kaap se vullisterreine van die beste in SA
Uit die 189 vullisterreine wat AfriForum oor die hele land heen geoudit het, is die grootste aantal vullisterreine wat geslaag het in die Wes-Kaap geleë. Altesaam 12 vullisterreine het aan minstens 80% van die ouditvereistes voldoen. Die vullisterreine in Gansbaai, Malmesbury, Vredenburg en Wellington, asook die Langebaan-oorlaaistasie het boonop aan 100% van die minimum wetlike vereistes vir verantwoordelike afvalbestuur voldoen.
’n Totaal 38 vullisterreine is in dié provinsie besoek. Hiervan is 34 formeel geoudit, terwyl vier terreine gesluit is.
Nie al die Wes-Kaapse vullisterreine het egter goed gevaar nie. Die vullisterrein in Lutzville het aan geen van die ouditvereistes voldoen nie, terwyl Bitterfontein, Nuwerus en Klawer aan slegs 6% van die vereistes voldoen het. Die oorlaaistasies in Knysna het net so power gevaar. Die Knysna Old Place-oorlaaistasie wat gebruik word vir tuinvullis het aan 12% van die vereistes voldoen, terwyl die Knysna Sedgefield-oorlaaistasie, waarby onder meer bourommel gestort word, aan 22% van die ouditvereistes voldoen het.
Só vergelyk die vullisterreine in die Wes-Kaap
Volgens Jacques Benade, AfriForum se distrikskoördineerder vir die Boland, is die meeste vullisterreine in die Wes-Kaap in ’n swakker as verwagte toestand. “Vullis uit enige stedelike gebied skep nie slegs ’n estetiese probleem nie, maar hou ook ernstige gesondheidsrisiko’s in indien dit nie doeltreffend bestuur word nie. Dit sal betreurenswaardig wees as die standaarde by vullisterreine in die Wes-Kaap, nes ander provinsies s’n, aanhou versleg.”
AfriForum beplan reeds ’n vergadering met dr. Dion George, minister van Bosbou, Visserye en die Omgewing (DBVO), om die vullisterreinouditverslag se bevindings met hom te deel en ’n formele ondersoek teen Wes-Kaap se nie-nakomende munisipaliteite te versoek. AfriForum is van mening dat Suid-Afrikaners se grondwetlike regte, soos die reg op ’n skoon en gesonde omgewing, deur die swak bestuur van vullisterreine ontsê word, daarom sal die DBVO dringend munisipaliteite tot verantwoording moet roep.
Jacques Benade
Distrikskoördineerder: Boland
AfriForum
Sel: 081 217 0008
E-pos: jacques.benade@afriforum.co.za
