Cape Town: The City of Cape Town has increased their efforts to fight illegal dumping. The Safety and Security Portfolio Committee has commended the enforcement efforts to curb illegal dumping throughout the metropole.
The city’s Traffic Service, Law Enforcement and Metro Police Department has issued 7778 fines for illegal dumping during the period of July to December 2023.
Reportedly, the city’s Safety and Security Portfolio Committee considered the latest quarter report on the Directorate’s performance at its recent monthly meeting.
Numerous performance indicators were recorded, including CCTV detections, inspections at scrap metal dealers, and roadblocks to curb drunk driving. The committee has also noted the gains made in addressing littering and illegal dumping.
According to the sources, the three enforcement agencies have issued nearly 8,000 fines for illegal dumping and littering over the past six months.
During that time, the Law Enforcement Department has also impounded 68 vehicles that were used in the act of illegal dumping.
The Vehicles that are impounded for illegal dumping, are kept at the City’s Law Enforcement pound. They were issued fines R5000 with the likelihood of the vehicle being impounded.
Along with the fine, the driver or owner of the vehicle also has to pay R8700 to have the vehicle released after the mandatory administrative processes are completed.
Notably, if the same vehicle is impounded for the second time, the release fee is R11,700 and R17,400 for a third offence.
According to the sources, illegal dumping has many negative effects on the environment, properties, and infrastructure. Often, the damage to the environment becomes apparent months or years after the dumping takes place, such as chemical dumping that could affect underground water.
The Chairperson of the Safety and Security Portfolio Committee – Councillor Mzwakhe Nqavashe urged the communities to report illegal dumping and to ensure that detailed information is recorded such as date, time, address and the make, colour and registration number of the vehicle and what is being dumped, which will assist the officers to speed up the investigation.
Moreover, Law Enforcement officers regularly monitor illegal dumping hot spots as part of scheduled patrols and also act on the information they receive.