NORTHAM – Motorists on the R511 at Northam struggled with road visibility and community members with the inhalation of dangerous gases during this week after the Northam landfill site was set on fire.
A media statement from Thabazimbi Local Municipality stated that they are busy with the process of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the new landfill site. The new site has been obtained and there is a contractor who is busy doing damage control on behalf of the municipality for the old site and the site is going to be cleared on the outside within five days. Arrangements have been made with the Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism about using the new site while they are finalising the EIA. The old site is going to be closed after cleaning it and the community is going to gain access to the new site.
The municipality denied allegations that they were responsible for the landfill site being set on fire. Furthermore community members, who throw their garbage next to the site, will be held responsible for illegal dumping.
The contract for the management and control of the landfill site is still not appointed. Therefore, the person doing “damage control” is not the contractor, but a company that only does the basic clean-up necessary on a month to month basis. The landfill site is thus not managed, but only controlled. The process to appoint a new contractor to manage the site, has been lingering since November 2012. The Municipal Manager, Ntsoane, is responsible for the appointment of the tender. It is unclear why he is lingering with this very important matter.
Kwêvoël Newsroom: Estie Taljaard estie@kwevoel.co.za
Garbage is being thrown next to the landfill site, making this a terrible sight for the community as well as passers-by.
