Pretoria - The City of Johannesburg is getting tough on illegal dumpers, as it goes all out in its campaign to clean up the City's streets.
By-law enforcement in particular will be stepped up, with the City promising that illegal dumpers will be prosecuted and face the possibility of heavy fines being imposed on them.
Johannesburg residents have also been urged to take note of the refuse collection schedules for their areas and not to dispose of waste and litter in public spaces.
The dumping of litter along the sides of roads and highways is an offence and action will be taken against those found dumping litter, the City warned.
Illegal dumping is a growing concern in Johannesburg, prompting the City to allocate substantial resources to cleaning up public spaces that have been polluted with large scale litter, as well as industrial and building rubble.
According to the City, residents and businesses generate about 1.6 million tons of waste every year and more than 250 000 tons are dumped illegally.
Rodents thrive in polluted areas and this infestation poses a great danger to the health of residents, who can contract diseases such as rabies and diarrhoea, which are carried by rodents.
The City is so concerned about the problem of illegal dumping, that Pikitup - the City's agency responsible for waste management - has started an Illegal Dumping Programme, which will see all its depots cleaning problematic areas on a regular basis according to a weekly rotational schedule.
Johannesburg Mayor Amos Masondo is also expected to get in on the action and will this week join residents and City officials in a clean-up campaign.
As part of the campaign, Masando will visit Orange Farm, Lenasia and Eldorado Park.
