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Success of the beautified illegal dumping spots

Media Release: Success of the beautified illegal dumping spots

Issued by George Municipality 24 November 2022 for immediate release

 

George Municipality had some great successes by cleaning up illegal dumping hotspots in and around George and beautifying these areas by creating parks and/or gardens.

An illegal dumping site in Rose Street, Pacaltsdorp was beautified and is still in a good condition as well as in Vuyani Ncamazana Street, Lawaaikamp, two spots in Tabata Street, Thembalethu, 32nd Street, and Nelson Mandela Boulevard. Unfortunately, after the Beer Street, Rosemoor site was beautified, everything including plants, tyres and ecobricks were stolen from the site.

According to Janine Fernold: Manager: Environmental Services,  six coordinators have been appointed to lead cleansing teams and an additional 15 workers will be appointed in the near future to tackle illegal dumping and hotspots. These teams will also be used to clean other illegal dumping sites that are not considered hotspots at this stage.

Georgians can now “Adopt a Spot”, which means the process through which applicants approach the George Municipality to adopt a piece of Municipal-owned land for the purpose of maintenance and beautification within a specific timeframe, at no cost to the Municipality. The public is allowed to apply to adopt public open spaces, private open spaces and nature reserves across a vast area within municipality boundaries.

The programme has been approved by Council and is applicable to all land zoned “Open Space” or “Undetermined” and helps in establishing a partnership between the Municipality and the applicant.  The purposes of the partnership agreements is to make use of, control, or manage a public open space to maintain and enhance its functionality as a form of a contribution to the management and maintenance of such an open space.

The Adopt a Spot programme aims to overcome the challenges of ecological degradation, illegal land use, illegal dumping, criminal activities and lack of safety in public open spaces. The public and all interested parties are hereby invited to approach the Municipality to adopt a piece of Municipal-owned land for any of the purposes mentioned. There is no cost to Adopt a spot from Municipality, however it is expected that the “adopters” will assist in the maintenance and upkeep of the site.

The policy is available on the George Municipality’s website at https://www.george.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ADOPT-A-SPOT-PROGRAMME-policy.pdf

Download the application form here: https://www.george.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Adopt-a-spot-application.pdf

Enquiries or request for more information on the process may be directed to Nosidima Vumindaba at nvumindaba@george.gov.za or on 044 802 2900 at the Parks and Recreation department.

ILLEGAL DUMPING IS EVERYBODY’S PROBLEM
If you throw your junk just anywhere, it will eventually become your problem some way or another. It can make you sick or kill you.

What is illegal dumping?

  • Illegal dumping is anything you throw away in a place where it does not belong.
  • If you know who is dumping illegally, report them to 044 801 6350 or gmun@george.gov.za  or 044 801 6300 (a/h).
  • Information that will help the case for a warning or fine: car description and/or registration number, address of alleged perpetrator, type of waste and address of where it was dumped. A cellphone photo of dumping in action will help, but is not essential.
  • Report dumped waste for collection to 044 802 2900 or 044 801 6300 (a/h).

 

Captions: A before photo of an illegal dumping spot on the corner of Nelson Mandela Boulevard and Gcakani Street being cleaned by cleansing staff.

 

  1. The after photo of the same area after it was beautified by George Municipality and members of the community.