18/11/2021
Improper waste disposal is becoming an eyesore on the roads of Umbilo
Tuesday mornings are dedicated to rubbish collections by the DSW trucks, regardless of this there is still a heap of different waste types on the pavement of Marigny Road South of Umbilo to a point where pedestrians can’t even utilize the pavement. It is hard to specifically pinpoint which household is responsible for this as there are obviously numerous houses on the street but regardless of who the blame lies on, it is an eyesore. The makeshift dump site is located towards the end of the street which makes for a nasty surprise as the bottom half is well kept.
Apart from the municipality collecting refuse on a weekly basis there are also several other measures put in place for waste disposal. Almost all households in the Ethekwini municipality receive a 3-month supply of black refuse bags for general waste but above that they can also access the coloured plastic bags for other waste such as gardening supplies which is one of the items that can be seen disposed on the pavement. There are also several duping sites in the city that can be utilised to dispose of waste that doesn’t fit into the colour coded categories.
The issue of waste lying on pavement is “self -inflicted pain” for the residents who are guilty and also has adverse consequences for the others. Apart from not being aesthetically appealing, it also decreases the value of the properties which makes it difficult to sell in future, no one would appreciate living in an area that is dirt filled. Nompumelelo Buthelezi, a resident in the area says she tried to sell her house a few years ago but was not successful, “people did come to view the house but nobody put in offer. The house was well priced, so I don’t think it was the price that pushed them away and my estate agent did say that people are becoming pickier with the type of areas where they buy property.” she says. Pollution also has negative health effects and can be a safety hazard for children and ordinary passers-by.
The word community in its definition simply describes a group of people living in the same place and having certain interests in common so in essence that means anything that one person does can have an impact on other people in the community. It is disheartening to see an area slowly deteriorate especially with something that can so easily be prevented. If every household ensured they practiced safe and proper waste disposal practices, a huge difference can be made
