Whilst crime and grime continue to be a cause for residents in Laudium and Erasmia wanting to move out of the area, both the police and the local authorities are yet to address these pressing concerns of residents effectively. One of the ongoing problems residents face at local government level, is the lack of action by the council, to tackle the problems of street lights not working, potholes, disruption of water and electricity supplies, illegal dumping and trading, etc. Many residents say that despite reporting to the Tshwane Council’s advertised numbers for complaints, council officials are complacent in acting.
In the latest incident of complaints against the council, a local businessman contacted the Laudium Sun regarding his concerns about the illegal dumping taking place near his business, which is causing a serious health problem in the area. According to Andre Kruger, the owner of Hoogland Health Hydro on Schurveberg Road in Erasmia, it is time that the community gets together to stop the illegal dumping, before there is an outbreak of some kind of a disease in the area, due to the various rubbish being dumped near his place including dead animals and at times even dead human bodies.
Andre said, “This illegal dumping has been going on for years and I have been complaining ever since to the council, but with little response. We not only get people dumping their dirt here, such as garden refuse and other rubbish, but they also dump dead animals, dirty baby nappies, business dump their rubbish like upholstery cuts and there have even been dead bodies found. Recently we found a dead body and had to call the Erasmia police to investigate it. It’s so frustrating as the council is not taking this matter seriously and is not prosecuting those responsible for this irresponsible behavior of dumping in the area. We, as the community of Erasmia, need to come together to get the place cleaned up and also we need to expose the culprits responsible for the dumping. We need to have photos of their faces and vehicles published in the Laudium Sun, so that they are named and shamed. We also need to somehow or the other get the City of Tshwane involved in this clean up campaign. This dumping is a huge problem and poses such a great health risk to all of us living in the area. There are times when we cannot even have a proper meal because of the stench of all these rotting dead animals and the rubbish that is dumped in our area. Today, I am pleading with the residents of Erasmia and anyone else who can help us to stop this dumping in our area, to please come forward and assist because this is a problem that affects us all, especially our children, the future of this country.”
The Laudium Sun asked Erasmia Police spokesperson Capt. Augustinah Selepe for comment on this matter, who said that they have received many complaints of dumping and that there have been isolated incidences of human remains found in the area. “Police do patrol the area, but remember, illegal dumping is a municipal by-law. We, however, do assist the Metro Police in this regard”.
When asked to comment on the matter, Ward 61 Councillor, Naeeem Patel told the Laudium Sun, “I am not sure if the dumping is happening on private or council property as there are large tracts of land that are privately owned. But, either way, we will certainly investigate this matter and I will contact Andre as this matter poses a health risk to the community living around the area. We will even get the Erasmia police and the SPCA to join us, to look at the problem holistically.”
When the Laudium Sun visited the dumping site, on Schurveberg Road, Erasmia, we found heaps of rubbish and even animal carcasses.
