The City of Ekurhuleni has officially re-opened the Weltevreden landfill in Brakpan after being closed following the fire incident in October.

MMC for Waste Management Services and Environment Resources André du Plessis commended officials for working tirelessly with contractors to ensure the facility is re-opened speedily.

Du Plessis urged residents utilising such facilities to be more vigilant when dealing with recyclable materials, such as plastic and paper, that may easily be ignited and end up causing potentially irreversible damage to the environment.

According to the municipality, the fire that gutted the site was started by informal waste recyclers operating from the Plastic City informal settlement situated opposite the facility.

Du Plessis apologised to the public for the inconvenience that was caused as a result of the unforeseen closure of the site and further thanked them for their understanding, patience, and co-operation during the period.

During the site’s closure, the entrance and surrounding area became an illegal dumping hot spot. This too is being attended to and the area is being cleaned.

“The place has been neglected but we are busy cleaning around the terrain and I am pleased to say the progress that has been made was done in only 10 days,” said du Plessis.