Acting against dumping in Kensington, Johannesburg

Originally published: 30 October 2024

Illegal dumping and garbage left out on the wrong refuse collection dates cause a stink and untold headaches for residents trying to fight against the slide into neglect and grime of their neighbourhoods. Helping to educate people about refuse management and the way the municipality operates refuse collection services is a starting point to help people be part of the solution to keep their streets clean and hygienic. It also motivates people to join clean-up days. 

What is the problem?

The suburb of Kensington, in Johannesburg East has, like many parts of Johannesburg, been impacted negatively by the effects of sliding service delivery, decreased maintenance and upkeep, and little enforcement of bylaw infringements. 

As more homes in the suburb have over the years become multi-person dwellings, the garbage produced per household has increased but not been adequately managed. It’s led to people dumping garbage on the streets or leaving garbage on the street in bin bags instead of using the City’s standard-issue wheelie bins.

Dumping attracts more dumping and as the bin bags inevitably break, the mess becomes an eyesore, a stink and also a hazard for safety and hygiene. 

Council’s dustmen will also refuse to collect refuse that is not in wheelie bins, compounding the dumping problem and leaving residents feeling despondent and helpless. 

How are they solving it?

In 2020, a local resident Navin Bachu launched a campaign he called the KICK (Keep it CKlean) initiative and focused on the two Johannesburg East wards of Ward 66 and Ward 118.

As a grassroots initiative the idea was to use various social media channels within the community to get the message across of “Clean, Educate, Enforce” to create a cleaner, safer, and more connected community.

The KiCK’s philosophy is also rooted in action, so community members are encouraged to “work together to collaborate on the common goals of eliminating illegal dumping, encouraging sustainable waste management, and fostering a shared responsibility for the local environment,” Buchu said on a community Facebook post. 

Buchu and the core team he has created encourage community-led clean-up days and for the community to support initiatives held by the city. He uses the information that is available through the city council’s various resource pages to posts information on the likes of how to contact the local refuse removal depots; how to apply for new wheelie bins, the process of reporting illegal dumping, and he gives updates on refuse collection when there have been strikes or disruptions in the waste collection schedules. 

KiCK also build relationships with local authorities and councils. This helps to prioritise problems in the neighbourhood and keeps up the pressure on council to act on problems and to do its job of service delivery and bylaw enforcement. 

What made it work? 

• The community got behind an idea because of shared challenges and shared goals to clean up the streets and create a more pleasant neighbourhood. 

• The KiCK initiatives work on an ideal of connecting people, taking action and re-instilling in people a sense of empowerment and human dignity in being able to live in a cleaner, environmentally healthier suburb. 

• They built a strong network with other community groups and keep the messaging useful, including “how-to’s”, “useful numbers and contacts” and event information on organised occasional clean-ups.

•  KiCK committed to working in two wards as a manageable area of focus. The team has built relationships with local councillors, local refuse depots and officials within council, thereby creating more networks and enlarging information on resources.  

• The organisers are active in posting and responding to immediate issues – be it reports of illegal dumping or updates when there are strikes by council workers and useful information including waste management or recycling and sorting from source.

Acknowledgements

Authour: Ufrieda Ho 

Original articles/sources: 

www.instagram.com/kensingtonroadclosure/p/DBwNEpDir1X/

We Love Kensington – Facebook page

 Photographs: KiCK

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Get your community involved

Is there a community-driven group or caring business in your area? A dedicated group of committed people can effectively solve local problems.

Think about starting or joining community groups like a street WhatsApp group, residents' association, or community policing forum (CPF) to get help and to stay informed and involved in local issues.

How to set up a community group

How to start a WhatsApp group

How to start a residents' association

How to set up a community policing forum

How to set up a neighbourhood watch

How to organise community action

How to use media to create pressure for change

Know your rights – how local government works

It’s important to understand how your local government works so that you can work with them to support what they are doing while your community continues to keep them accountable and deliver services on time. Remember you have a constitutional right to many of the services provided by local government, as well as to accountability and transparency, wherever you live and regardless of how much you earn. It is also where money collected from taxes and rates goes.