Waste drop-off sites in Gqeberha closed due to container shortage — Daily Maverick
In Gqeberha, South Africa, waste drop-off sites in Walmer and Strandfontein, located in the Summerstrand area, are struggling with accumulated rubbish, a shortage of containers and truck breakdowns. As a result, residents and businesses have repeatedly been unable to dispose of waste, Daily Maverick reports.
The transfer stations are temporary sites where rubbish is brought before being transported to municipal landfills, including Arlington. A business owner near the Walmer station told the publication that the situation there had deteriorated over the course of a year: there were not enough containers, while the contractor's vehicles frequently broke down.
Overfilled sites
At the Walmer station, waste had accumulated around the containers and partially blocked the entrance. An employee of the Expanded Public Works Programme said she directed people to the site in Summerstrand. According to the publication, the unfenced site had neither gates nor security guards, while informal waste collectors allowed drivers to unload rubbish wherever there was free space.
Later, a front-end loader was brought to the facility and pushed the rubbish deeper into the site after it had spilled out to the entrance and onto the road. At the Strandfontein station, journalists saw several pickup trucks whose drivers were waiting for an opportunity to unload waste, but the contractor was not present.
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Ward 2 councillor Sean Teppan said the sites had to be closed because there were no spare containers, and called on the municipality to verify the contractor's compliance with its contractual obligations. According to the publication, the contractor's workers sometimes arrived late or did not arrive because of problems with their vehicle fleet.
Municipality's position
Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya acknowledged the problems at the waste drop-off sites. He cited recurring truck breakdowns, the need to empty containers frequently, insufficient access control and vandalism among the main difficulties.
The municipality said it continuously monitors the facilities and has applied for additional funding for their upgrading, security and official registration. The timing of this work will depend on approval and receipt of funds. The authorities also reported the award of a new three-year contract, although the final appointment of service providers must still undergo standard procurement procedures.
Gary Koekemoer, head of the Eastern Cape branch of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa, stressed that transfer stations are important to the city's waste management system because the Koedoeskloof and Arlington landfills are nearing capacity. He also expressed concern over insufficient sorting of recyclable and hazardous waste and environmental risks at the Arlington landfill.
