When driving through Atlantis, one would see several pockets of unused land that have remained undeveloped for as long as the town has been in existence. Many residents agree that illegal dumping and unused public open spaces in Atlantis are directly connected. And nothing proactive is done to address this.
According to Gary Herne, who lives in Extension 12, Sherwood Park, local authorities don’t do enough to prevent dumping. “Many people simply do not have the money to hire a vehicle to take things like tree branches, garden waste, an old mattress or something they are not allowed to discard off with the normal household garbage to official dumping sites.” He says he has already reached out to local councillors in the past to help find a solution, but his suggestions have fallen on deaf ears. “One simple solution is to have big skips or enclosures in various areas, similar to what they have in City-owned flats.”
The City of Cape Town’s Economic Growth Directorate believes Atlantis faces many of the same dumping challenges experienced in several other areas across the metro. “Some parts of the area are more affected than others, with illegal dumping often linked to broader social issues such as crime, unemployment, informal settlement growth, and other socio-economic pressures. These factors create an environment where waste management services are under strain and dumping becomes more common,” a spokesperson said.
While improvements to waste collection systems are ongoing, the City emphasises that no solution will work unless communities take collective ownership of the problem. “Whether through education campaigns, law enforcement, small business development for recycling, or partnerships with waste pickers, these efforts can only succeed when residents commit to keeping their neighbourhoods clean and reporting illegal dumping.” To strengthen waste management, the City has introduced an accreditation process for private waste companies. Businesses must ensure that their service providers are accredited to operate legally and dispose of waste correctly. This process helps reduce unlawful dumping and ensures that waste ends up at designated sites. Education initiatives remain a priority, with awareness campaigns and the use of Bingo, the City’s anti-litter mascot, to inspire young people to take action against littering. When asked how often dumping hotspots are cleared, and their typical turnaround time, the City said they do not track service delivery data at a suburb-by-suburb level, and therefore cannot provide statistics specifically for Atlantis. “The City cannot disaggregate its budget to show a separate figure specifically for Atlantis, and we also cannot provide a breakdown of fines issued in Atlantis separate from other areas.” The directorate said they acknowledge the challenge of vacant land and supports community-led clean-ups to activate these spaces. They said residents are encouraged to organise clean-ups as a way to reclaim their environment. The City assists by providing bags and removing waste that has been collected. Unfortunately questions posed by Impact News to the local sub-council chairperson and councillor, as well as the sub-council manager, went unanswered on two occasions. These included the sub-council’s plans for activating or rehabilitating these open spaces, and a request to know whether any audits of unused public land in Atlantis have been done to identify problem areas.
A resident living in Saxonsea, who wanted to stay anonymous, said communities and authorities should focus on prevention rather than cure, when it the dumping and open spaces.
***To report illegal dumping, call 021 444 6231 / 6233 / 6223, or email solidwaste.bylaw@capetown.gov.za.
