George Municipality Tackles Illegal Dumping Head-On
Property of George Municipality, EPWP cleanup in Rosedale
Following the official launch of the Illegal Dumping Campaign on 13 December 2024, the George Municipality is rolling out its detailed 2024/2025 Business Plan to address the persistent challenge of illegal dumping and waste management with a holistic and sustainable approach. The municipality aims to confront the root causes of illegal dumping through a combination of education, enforcement, and continuous clean-up operations.
The campaign is founded on principles of sustainability and emphasizes the importance of consistent interventions over ad hoc clean-up efforts. By engaging the community through education and awareness initiatives, the municipality seeks to change waste disposal behaviours, particularly in informal areas where illegal dumping is most prevalent. Community collaboration remains at the heart of the campaign, with residents, municipal workers, and law enforcement playing a crucial role in maintaining clean and safe spaces.
To ensure effective implementation, the municipality is optimizing its resources, including skilled EPWP workers, skip trucks, and tipper trucks, while also integrating waste pickers into formal recycling programs.
Illegal dumping in George is not due to a lack of waste management services but rather behavioural challenges. To address these issues, the municipality has employed 310 EPWP workers and 14 coordinators, who have been strategically deployed across 12 blocks in the municipal area. Their responsibilities include daily waste removal, street sweeping, sidewalk cleaning, and breaking down bulky waste in open spaces. Workers will receive targeted training to enhance their skills and ensure the highest level of service delivery.
As part of the strategy, skips will be placed in critical wards in the wards across George starting from March 2025 to provide accessible waste disposal points for residents. Each household will receive a quarterly supply of green refuse bags to encourage proper disposal. In addition, the municipality has invested in yellow plant machinery, including TLBs and tipper trucks, to support clean-up operations and manage waste such as builders’ rubble and garden refuse more efficiently.
Incorporating waste pickers into the campaign is a significant step towards inclusivity and sustainability. The municipality has partnered with organizations such as Polyco and Ewasa to consider the establishment of buy-back centres and provide waste pickers with trolleys and protective gear. This initiative not only promotes recycling but also supports livelihoods within the community.
The municipality has allocated R16.34 million to the campaign, ensuring its financial sustainability. This funding covers street cleansing, refuse removal, the hiring of ward-based coordinators, and education and awareness campaigns. These efforts aim to create long-term change by addressing the behavioural and systemic factors contributing to illegal dumping.
MMC for Community Services, Marchell Kleynhans, emphasized the importance of community involvement, stating, “Illegal dumping is a community issue, not just an environmental one, and sustained enforcement alongside public participation is essential for the campaign’s success. We need every resident to contribute to a cleaner George.”
The Illegal Dumping Campaign reflects the George Municipality’s commitment to fostering a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future. Residents are encouraged to report incidents of illegal dumping and actively participate in creating a litter-free environment for all.
Stock photograph: Property of George Municipality, EPWP cleanup in Rosedale