Whilst the municipality with grave concern notes the ongoing fires at the Luipaardsvlei Landfill Site, we strongly condemn the recent act of arson which has not only caused significant damage to the site, but is also exacerbating risks on public health, safety and environmental well-being.
After working around the clock with minimal resources to fully extinguish a protracted fire at the landfill site, such reckless and illegal behaviour is intolerable. Nevertheless, the municipality is working closely with the South African Police Services and Public Safety to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
With the landfill site being a critical public facility that assists residents and the municipality to effectively and responsibly manage waste and disposal thereof, this arson incident not only disrupts the provision of essential waste services but also poses dangers to communities in that dangerous fumes are released leading to fires that threaten the safety of nearby homes and businesses, whilst also causing long-term damage to the environment.
Our team is implementing all necessary safety protocols to contain the fire and mitigate any potential harm to surrounding areas. The site is temporarily closed until further notice and a notice will be issued once it is safe and ready for public use.