eThekwini Municipality investigates allegations of illegal waste dumping in Mount Moreland conservancy
The EThekwini Municipality stated that they were investigating the allegations that municipal workers were dumping black bins in Mount Moreland Conservancy near Umdloti on Wednesday.
The investigation was sparked after a 59-second video clip went viral on social media, titled Irresponsible eThekwini Municipality. A man speaking over the video recording said: “I just caught all these okes dumping. Honestly, it smells like sewage, smells like raw sewage.”
The man narrating the video claimed it was sewage that was being dumped on the roadside near the conservancy. The municipality said the contents of the black bin bags are unknown and cautioned against speculative reports.
Municipality spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, said the responsible line department within the municipality is investigating the alleged incident.
“Should there be grounds where misconduct or wrongdoing is found, appropriate action will be taken in line with the municipality’s Disciplinary Code. We will not speculate on the matter any further, nor do we want to link the alleged incident to water quality of rivers, streams, and estuaries without any tangible evidence. The health of residents and visitors is of paramount importance. We also caution the media against speculative reporting,” warned Sisilana.
In a story published on IOL, a Mount Moreland resident, who wished to remain anonymous, stated: “They are effectively dumping raw, unfiltered sewage into the Umdloti River - great for our beaches that already have a massively high E.Coli count!”
Sisilana responded, saying: “We all are trying to understand what is going on in the video hence an investigation by the municipality is under way.”
Sisilana said linking a matter that is under investigation to E.Coli and beaches and concluding that it is raw, unfiltered sewage is a bit of a stretch, especially without evidence to back up such assumptions/claims.
“We are also seeking clarity into the matter in our engagements with the relevant unit as the Communication Unit,” Sisilana said.
The video shows two men stepping over a steel roadside crash barrier. Two other men are standing next to the truck. Two of them have blue overall jackets with the EWS logo on them.
Sisilana said EWS and CSW are two different departments. EWS stands for eThekwini Water and Sanitation, while CWS stands for Cleansing and Solid Waste.
Sisilana cautioned against the circulation of videos on social media that were likely to cause unnecessary excitement and confusion among the public.
Sisilana said that recording and circulating a video on social media without reporting it through official channels did not assist anyone.
“It must also be noted that some contractors wear municipal-branded overalls, and their trucks/vehicles bear the municipality’s logo. Therefore, without the full names and surnames of the people in the video or a vehicle registration number bearing an “NDM” number plate, it is difficult to conclude that the people seen in the alleged video are indeed staff employed by eThekwini Municipality,” she said.
The resident who created the video has since provided the municipality with the relevant details.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za