Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs Minister, Barbara Creecy, has condemned the killing of five City of Johannesburg security guards in a shooting at a Johannesburg landfill site on Tuesday.
In a statement on Thursday, Creecy strongly condemned the murder of the guards and the wounding of two of their colleagues at the Goudkoppies landfill site in Devland.
Extending her condolences to the families of the murdered guards, the Minister also wished the two wounded guards a speedy recovery.
“Although details surrounding the shooting are still unclear, I would like to encourage the police to take all steps necessary to ensure that those responsible for the attack on the security guards are arrested and convicted,” said the Minister.
She emphasised that landfill sites played a central role in the country’s efforts to improve environmental and community health, adding that such an attack must be “viewed in a serious light”.
The landfill site has since been temporarily closed.
The department and the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development are supporting the municipality and Pikitup to ensure that waste management services are not negatively affected by the incident.
“This is in addition to the support that is being enabled through the development of specific environmental interventions to ensure the city’s existing landfill sites are upgraded and refurbished, and that licenses are granted for new sites.
“The waste pickers that divert mostly packaging waste from landfill have also been provided with personal protective equipment,” said the department. – SAnews.gov.za
