This article first appeared on https://www.citizen.co.za/rekord/news-headlines/2024/08/07/metro-landfill-crisis-four-sites-non-compliant/
An annual landfill audit draws residents’ attention to the fact that only two out of seven landfill sites in Tshwane and its surrounds comply with some of the requirements set in the audit to score more than 80%.
Four of the seven landfill sites in and around Tshwane are not up to par.
AfriForum released its annual landfill audit report on July 30 at the Bethal municipal landfill site and found that few municipalities comply with the relevant waste management legislation intended to protect communities’ health and the environment from pollution.
To pass the audit, a landfill has to meet at least 80% of the audit requirements.
Tshwane landfill sites included in the audit are Mooiplaats in Centurion (Raslouw), Hatherley in Nellmapius, Bon Accord in Pretoria North, Bronkhorstspruit, Ga-Rankuwa, Onderstepoort and Soshanguve.
The landfill sites at Mooiplaats and Bon Accord are privately managed, while the other five are managed by the metro.
According to Marais de Vaal, AfriForum’s advisor for Environmental Affairs, Bon Accord on the Old Warmbaths Road and Mooiplaats in Centurion (between Laudium and Nandi) are the only landfill sites in Tshwane that comply with more than 80%.
These landfill sites are managed privately by The Waste Group.
De Vaal said privately managed sites are profit-driven and therefore often better managed.
“Privately managed sites are also often more carefully scrutinised by authorities and work hard to get their compliance notices to keep their permits,” said De Vaal.