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A recent case brought against a KwaZulu-Natal municipality for mismanaging a landfill site highlights the threat that these pose to the environment and people’s health OUTH Africa is fast running out of landfill space and potential new sites are in short supply. Many are not being properly managed by local authorities. A document from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning says: “Waste management is mainly focused on providing guidance to district and local municipalities. Disposal at landfills is considered unsustainable as it leads to soil, water and air pollution if poorly managed.” 2 2
The department said the waste economy contributed R24.3 billion to the South African GDP in 2016. It provided 36 000 formal jobs and supported an estimated 80 000 informal jobs or livelihoods. The Western Cape Integrated Waste Management Plan for 2017 to 2022 indicated that by 2017, 93 out of 164 landfills in the province had closed, having reached the end of their natural lifespans. The City of Cape Town has three
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operational landfill sites – in Bellville South, Coastal Park near Muizenberg, and Vissershok, near Table View. According to GreenCape’s 2016 Market Intelligence report, the Western Cape generates about 7.7 million tons of waste annually. Almost half of that – 48% – comes from the Cape Town Metro. In KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg High Court judge Rishi Seegobin recently gave the Msunduzi municipality 30 days to come up with an action
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plan to deal with the disastrous New England Road landfill site. The judge found the municipality had breached several environmental laws, including section 24 of the Constitution which highlights everyone’s right to a healthy environment protected from pollution. The case had been brought by the SA Human Rights Commission after the municipality battled to manage the site. It regularly catches fire, releasing toxic fumes into the air.
