Civil rights organisation AfriForum has released its report on its national campaign ‘Don’t mess with our waste!’ based on the 2014 audit of dumping sites. It found that 72% of dumping sites do not comply with regulations.

According to Julius Kleynhans, head of environmental affairs for AfriForum, the organisation is very concerned about the way in which local municipalities manage their waste. He reports that only 26 of South Africa’s 92 dumping sites comply with the minimum requirements for the management of dumping sites.

Reportedly, 66 dumping sites do not comply with the environmental regulations or their waste-management licences, therefore posing a health risk to local communities. According to Kleynhans the municipality with the worst performance was Karoo Hoogland.

“Drastic changes in the regulatory framework are necessary in order for municipal authorities to be held responsible. If the law allows criminal action against private companies, the same should apply to irresponsible authorities,” says Kleynhans.

 

Possible legal action

The organisation will hand the project report over to the Green Scorpions and institute a report of non-compliance by means of a letter of demand that will request a comprehensive action plan from the responsible municipality.

The municipality will have to indicate how it is going to comply with the minimum requirements according to legal prescriptions, as well as what the deadlines will be. If municipalities fail to respond, AfriForum will take legal steps and potentially lay criminal charges against the responsible administrative officer.

 

Annual audits

AfriForum says it will monitor the progress regarding these sites and annual audits will be done. It maintains that the 2014 report must be used as a constant against which the corresponding infrastructure and all the other towns and cities with AfriForum branches will be assessed in 2015.

 

Rewarding good work

“There were 26 municipalities with a score of more than 80% who will each receive a certificate of appreciation from AfriForum. AfriForum wants to thank these municipalities who take the lead in South Africa and do excellent work in order to ensure responsible waste-management practices and in that way comply with relevant legislation and licences for waste management. These municipalities must be rewarded because they protect their respective communities and environments against pollution and the consequences of pollution,” says Kleynhans.