"We had been forced to inhale polluted air emitted from the dumpsites," remarked Phumulani Ngwenya, an extension 6 resident, of Pikitup's recent clean-up initiative in Cosmo City on Mandela Day.
Many homeowners complained about the frequent presence of foul odors and the large amounts of waste that serve as breeding grounds for rats and mice.
According to Ngwenya, the dumpsite began to swell after the Pikitup vehicle failed to collect dustbins in Nigeria Crescent.
In response to the situation, Pikitup joined forces with other stakeholders alongside community members to clean up the community.
"We are very excited that Pikitup and other stakeholders came together to help remove the dumpsites," said another resident, Priscilla Khumalo.
When the dumpsite piles up, Khumalo said, residents are exposed to health risks.
"The situation tends to be dangerous for residents," she stated. "Bugs and mosquitoes are now attracted to the dumpsite. We hope they fix it soon because we reported the problem to the counselor. We were able to move the dust bins to one location, making it easier for Pikitup to collect them."
We will always respond to the situation, said a Pikitup member who preferred to be anonymous.
“The community must not dump the waste everywhere,” she said. “We must all live in a clean environment. Refuse collection is done every Tuesday in both Itsoseng and Cosmo City. Community members are encouraged to apply for additional bins by calling Pikitup call centre or apply at Cosmo City Multipurpose Centre customer service. Office is open from Monday to Friday from 7 am
- 15h00.”