82.5% Of Landfill Sites Fail Waste Act

Dear Editor

The DA welcomes the insightful and comprehensive annual report by AfriForum on the terrible condition of landfill sites across South Africa. The maintenance and development of these landfill sites falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and ANC Minister Barbara Creecy. Many landfill sites across South Africa have sadly been severely neglected by consecutive ANC governments and now pose urgent risks to the health and well-being of local communities and the natural environment.

The AfriForum report shows that only 17,5% of the sites mentioned comply with the minimum requirements of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (No. 59 of 2008). DA members across SA have repeatedly raised similar concerns with municipal officials and with the Minister herself. Despite some agreed interventions from the Minister it is clear that the various ANC-controlled spheres of government do not work together and in most instances, municipal councilors and officials only pay lip service to the Minister’s requests to intervene.

It is clear that ANC-led local governments are not capable of managing landfill sites effectively and the standards of waste collection and management in ANC-run municipalities continues to plummet dramatically. This is in contrast with DA-led governments such as the City of Cape Town which just last week took delivery of 219 brand-new solid waste vehicles to help improve waste management and fight the scourge of illegal dumping. DA governments across the country are constantly working to find new and more effective ways to improve management of local waste collection sites and implement on-site sorting and recycling facilities where possible. The DA is also the only municipal government in the country to roll out free home composting bins to help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.

As part of a national government in 2024 the DA will ensure that we tackle the issue of landfill management head-on. This will require a whole-of-society approach and must include bringing in the private sector to help outsource key functions that hamstrung local governments are unable to fulfill. The positive example of the J.B. Marks Local Municipality in Potchefstroom, cited in the AfriForum report, was achieved through working together with a private company.

While communities across South Africa continue to reject ANC mismanagement the DA stands ready to bring change in 2024. It is now high time that we relegate these poorly performing ANC governments to the landfill of history.

Regards

Dave Bryant MP
DA Shadow Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment