Lack Of Waste Management Raises Health Concerns In Hluvukani

Residents of Hluvukani are accusing the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality of failing to provide basic waste management services. Large metal refuse bins placed at various locations in the community are overflowing, and waste goes uncollected for extended periods. 

Several community members say a lack of awareness campaigns have left the areas exposed to environmental and health hazards.

Hophney Mdluli stays close to one of the communal bins. He tells Health-e News that the rubbish site near his home has become a serious concern. He describes unbearable fumes coming from the bin. 

“Although municipal trucks sometimes empty the bin when it is full, workers often leave behind piles of waste that cannot fit into the container,” says Mdluli. “The area surrounding the bins are rarely cleaned, and no additional bins are provided to fit the overspilling waste.”

To make matters worse, the current site was never formally designated as an official dumping area. He claims the bin was relocated last year without community consultation. While he acknowledges that residents should take responsibility for disposing of waste properly, he says the municipality must also ensure regular waste removal, especially when bins overflow.

Unofficial dumps

He also pointed out similar waste problems near Nazareth Church in the Hluvukani satellite area and at the local taxi rank. 

A taxi driver operating at the Hluvukani taxi rank said rubbish piles and fumes create an unpleasant environment for both drivers and commuters.

“At times we have to cover our noses because the smell is unbearable,” the driver says.

He noted that conditions briefly improved on February 3, 2026, when the bin was emptied, but plastic waste scattered around the area remains a major concern, especially during windy weather.

Several residents living in RDP housing described waste management in the area as uncontrolled and worsening over time.

One resident, who asked not be named, says rubbish has been lying on the ground around the bins for extended periods, adding that the municipality should collect all waste, including rubbish dumped next to containers.

Failed bin collection project

Another resident says the municipality previously distributed heavy-duty refuse bins and introduced a proposed R40 monthly waste collection fee. But the project was never implemented.

“The municipal truck never came to collect waste even once. We still keep those bins inside our homes unused,” the resident says. 

Another resident confirms owning a refuse bin but says collection services never materialised. 

“I even use my bin to store water now,” she says. 

She adds that Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers cleaned the area last year, but have not been seen recently. She also raised concerns about residents dumping food waste in open areas, which attracts animals and worsens the smell.

A former EPWP worker who worked in the area between 2023 and 2024 says his duties included cleaning litter and ensuring waste was placed inside bins. However, he says he hasn’t witnessed any waste management awareness campaigns conducted by the municipality during his employment.

The coordinator of the RDP bin distribution project says residents were prepared to pay the monthly R40 fee for waste collection, but the municipality never implemented the service.

“The bins were never collected, not even once. If the municipality starts collecting them, it will help reduce the plastic waste lying on the ground.”

Calls for structured waste management

Kholofelo Tshehla, founder of Tirhisana KL Green Projects, says municipalities typically conduct community meetings when introducing communal waste bins to outline responsibilities and expectations.