Note to Editors: Please find pictures attached here, here and here
Today, 4 September 2024, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mogale City attempted to conduct an oversight visit to the Luipaardsvlei Landfill Site in Mogale City.
The landfill site, which is situated close to residential areas, is on fire again, for the 6th time in 12 months. This time, the fire has been burning for weeks, since the 20th of July.
The air near the landfill site is nearly unbreathable, causing a burning sensation in your throat and eyes.
Today, we planned to conduct an oversight visit to assess how we might assist to identify the cause of this ongoing public health risk.
However, at the instruction of the Manager of Waste Management in Mogale City, the DA delegation was refused access, and subsequently our constitutional right to oversight. This raises even more questions as we are now left asking what the municipality has to hide?
The issue of Mogale’s burning landfill site has been raised with the municipal executive multiple times, however, nothing has been done to alleviate this public health risk. Mogale City’s executive simply does not care.
On Monday, the 2nd of September 2024, this very same issue was raised with the Gauteng Provincial Government, requesting their urgent intervention – evidently that has not happened.
Now, the DA will highlight the plight of Mogale’s residents on a national level. Without urgent intervention, this will move beyond a public health risk and into a full-scale environmental disaster.