Note to Editors: Attached please find a soundbite in English by DA MPL, Jade Miller.
The continued pressure by the Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng has led to the illegal dumpsite in Reitfontein, Mogale City, being cleaned up.
The DA’s recent oversight inspection found that the site is no longer operating as an illegal dump site.
Most of the waste has been removed, and concrete barriers have been erected to prevent vehicles from accessing the site and dumping further waste.
The intervention by the Mogale City Local Municipality and the Gauteng Department of Environment shows that when government departments are held accountable, action can and does follow.
While these developments are welcomed, further clarity is required regarding the full rehabilitation and cleaning of the site.
The DA Gauteng will continue to engage with the relevant departments to ensure the area is properly cleaned, rehabilitated, and monitored to prevent illegal dumping from returning.
The Gauteng Department of Environment has also confirmed that criminal proceedings against the Gauteng Department of Roads and Logistics, the landowner of the property, are currently underway due to failure to comply with environmental directives.
The DA Gauteng hopes that this action sends a clear message to all government departments that they are responsible for the land under their control and must comply with environmental laws.
The government cannot expect residents and businesses to follow the law if it fails to do so itself.
Gauteng residents deserve a government that is committed to ensuring that they live in a province that prioritises their health, safety and environmental rights. The DA is the only party capable of providing a clean environment to its residents based on our governance track record.