Stolen fence causes health hazard

Thousands of plastic bags and other litter cover the Elyambala area surrounding the unfenced Ongwediva dumpsite, polluting the environment and threatening the lives of people and their livestock.
When Namibian Sun visited the site on Tuesday afternoon plastic bags were scattered around, covering the bushes and trees near the dumpsite, and also firmly deposited on the fences of the nearby mahangu fields.
Apart from the thousands of plastic bags lying around, some children and a few adults were spotted eating food they had collected at the dumpsite while others were still hoping to find a meal.
The children, when asked what they were doing there, shouted that they were looking for food to eat.
These children were just metres from where rubbish was being burned, which contained aerosol cans that can explode.
A resident said the situation was shocking and a threat to human and animal health.
She questioned what the town council was doing to solve the problem, saying it has been like that for more than a year.
“What has the Ongwediva Town Council done to rectify the issue, the country is facing a drought situation and the cows will eat these plastics and get sick and eventually die,” she said.
Town council spokesperson Jackson Muma said the council was aware of the situation and planned to address it.
Muma said the blame should be placed on community members who had stolen the fence around the dumpsite.


He said the community must play their part and report people who vandalise government property.
“The fence was deliberately stolen, including the poles, by unknown public members. The Environmental Act referred to is applicable to every Namibian, not to councils only,” he said.
“Ongwediva Town Council is in compliance with all the statutory laws of this country but is challenged by the community members who vandalise this infrastructure which is there in the interest of public health,” he added.
He said the council would not be liable for any injury sustained by people eating food illegally scavenged from the dumpsite.
“Council does not condone the actions of the public entering the dumpsite unauthorised. Eating the disposed foodstuff is a risk to health. It should be made clear that the council shall not be liable for any injuries sustained as a result of eating food from the site,” Muma explained.
He said the fence would be replaced soon, as it is part of the council’s 2016/2017 financial year priorities.
As Ongwediva is one of the fastest-growing towns in the north of the country, the council was asked about the creation of a landfill such as the one in Windhoek. The council did respond to the question.

KENYA KAMBOWE