Knysna branch will tackle waste management this year
Waste management is a significant problem in the Knysna Local Municipality and AfriForum is determined to continue its fight in 2025 to prevent the decline of municipal service delivery in this beautiful town. AfriForum extended a hand of cooperation to this municipality on several occasions in 2024, but the municipality did not accept the organisation’s help. The organisation would like to engage in discussions with the municipality to find solutions for issues such as the non-compliance with legal requirements at the Knysna and Sedgefield landfills, therefore AfriForum has once again approached the municipality to participate in this organisation’s annual landfill audit.
In 2024, AfriForum found that the Sedgefield site achieved only 22% compliance with the minimum legal requirements for the management of landfill sites, while the Knysna site achieved a shocking 12% compliance. These results are indicative of the overall mismanagement that prevails at these sites and highlight the seriousness of the situation.
Among the most critical legal requirements that are missing is a lack of:
- access control and proper fencing;
- inspection and control of what type of rubbish is dumped;
- adequate, working machinery and
- control over the burning of rubbish on these sites.
There are frequent fires on the Knysna site which sometimes take days to fully extinguish. The smouldering garbage causes clouds of toxic smoke that contribute to air pollution in this area and pose a health risk to residents.
In addition, there were also repeated problems at the transfer station for domestic waste in Knysna, with the result that refuse could not be removed for days and therefore accumulated at the transfer station. Garbage that accumulates and is not removed leads to serious health risks and creates ideal conditions for the spread of disease-carrying pests such as rats and insects.
AfriForum also intervened in 2024 after repeated letters and reminders to the Knysna municipality about the condition of the road to the Knysna site itself and got a private contractor to repair the road so that it is accessible. The repairs took three weeks and cost more than R110 000.
“We are determined to offer our help once again to the municipality in 2025. The municipality must put their pride aside and put the residents’ interests first,” says Marthinus Erasmus, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Southern Cape.
“AfriForum will again audit the sites in Sedgefield and Knysna in February as part of our annual landfill audit project to determine if there is improvement. We will share our findings with the municipality so that solutions can be put in place,” Erasmus continues. “The residents of Knysna are entitled to efficient and sustainable service delivery and AfriForum will continue to fight for residents’ rights to be respected.”
You can help AfriForum by joining your nearest branch. Your contribution or once-off donation can help the Knysna branch to undertake more community projects and to fight for your rights. Send an email to marthinus.erasmus@afriforum.co.za, or call Erasmus on 081 216 9602.
