Mbhashe Local Municipality

Two compactor trucks acquired by Mbhashe municipality in response to sustainable waste management

Mbhashe Local Municipality services the towns of Willowvale, Dutywa and Elliotdale.

The municipality is situated in the south-eastern part of the Eastern Cape Province, and is located in the northeastern part of the Amathole District Municipality’s area of jurisdiction. The main administrative office of the municipality is situated in Dutywa.

The local municipality is bound by the Qhora River in the South, to Mncwasa River in the North along the Indian Ocean. Mbhashe has earned the name from the beautiful river which flows from the banks of Ngcobo through Dutywa, Gatyana (Willowvale) and Xhora (Elliotdale).

It was not just a festive season, rather a positive response to the communities of Mbhashe and to the leadership of the municipality. This came when Cllr Samkelo Janda, the Executive Mayor elected for the second term in a row, and the management of the municipality welcomed the delivery of 02 Automatic Transmission 12 cubes Compactor trucks in Dutywa municipal offices on the Christmas Eve, 24 December 2021. The Executive Mayor in his statement expressed the achievement as a response to the cry for change, that the leadership of the municipality had expected to see since the previous term; a change to see economic role players, i.e. business sector, ratepayers and communities at large embracing a healthy and clean environment when coming to access their needs and services in towns of Mbhashe.

The matter of sustainable waste management in Mbhashe towns has been a challenge to address, due to the shortage of equipment versus the increasing number of population served by the three towns of Mbhashe local municipality. The overflowing waste cages situated at busy points within towns will be a topic of the past, as these waste trucks had started working on the day of arrival to ease the backlog of waste in Dutywa town. Trucks proceeded to Gatyana and Xhora towns respectively to do the work. The acquired trucks came at a critical period during the festive season, when Mbhashe towns welcomed visitors and communities that came to explore the area. Both of the Compactor trucks were acquired at a cost of R 4 319 400, with interesting features of a back loader that is able to load more bunches of waste.

Previously, the municipality had relied on limited fleet to collect waste in business and household areas of Dutywa, including Xhora and Gatyana towns respectively. It has since been one of the municipality’s priority to regain its remarkable footprint of being known as the cleanest town like before. The Compactor trucks will contribute to the realising the objective of providing safe and healthy environment to its communities and this could only be achieved

In the middle – The Executive Mayor - Councillor Samkelo Janda of Mbhashe Municipality together with Ms. Nonurse Mlungu, Senior Manager- Community Service on the left and Chief Financial Officer - Mr. Nokwe on the right, welcoming the delivery of new compactor trucks in Mbhashe Local Municipality office, Dutywa.

through initiating strategies that promote environmental cleanliness. Furthermore, the municipality continues to strengthen partnerships with other organisations like Man Recycling NPO through introducing initiatives that are aimed at promoting a healthy living environment. Further to this planting of trees in open spaces and eradication of illegal dumpsite in these three towns is a continuous activity.

To ensure that towns remain clean at all times, the municipality created 488 employment opportunities through Expanded Public Works Programme(EPWP) for financial year 2022/2023 initiated in July 2021. The program is facilitated through Community Services Department. EPWP workers execute daily duties of waste collection and data capturing in all three towns of Mbhashe, this total number includes opportunities of Rural Waste Programme being one of the initiatives of the municipality that aims to keep the environment clean even in rural areas. Well-functioning of waste trucks would also minimise the complaints that the municipality has been receiving on a daily basis regarding waste, especially in the business area.

The Executive Mayor - Councillor Samkelo Janda of Mbhashe Municipality