25 Jan 2023

Jwaneng have been implored to take part in waste management activities to keep the environment healthy and clean.

“We should all play a role if we want to succeed in managing waste. Even if the council could deploy all its resources, we cannot manage without your input and support,” said Jwaneng Town Council (JTC) acting town clerk, Mr Motshwari Maphalala.

He was responding to residents’ concerns during a kgotla meeting addressed by JwanengMabutsane MP, Mr Mephato Reatile on Monday.

Mr Maphalala noted that JTC was experiencing challenges that hampered effective and efficient waste management. 

He attributed this inefficiency to low capacity, frequent breakdown of fleet and shortage of funds for fuel, among other things.

However, Mr Maphalala noted that they had engaged the private sector to collect waste from some parts of the township. 

He said even though the arrangement worked better, they still experienced hurdles related to scheduling.

Additionally, he noted that the council was working on devising cost recovery and sharing mechanisms to augment the meagre resources for sustainable and efficient waste management.

“We are looking into ways that could assist with cost-sharing in order to ensure sustainable and efficient service delivery since we have been offering all services regarding garden, domestic and industrial waste collection for free, despite them coming at a cost to us,” he said.

Mr Maphalala said consultations were ongoing to introduce a P40 minimum monthly dustbin fee per household to improve waste collection around the township. 

“I have full trust that it is going to be possible,” he noted.

For her part, Jwaneng mayor, Ms Olga Ditsie, said in addition to paying Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) loans and service levies, residents should also play part in waste disposal.

“Let us all play our part to assist the council to recover some of the costs needed to provide services efficiently by paying back SHHA loans and service levy,” she said, adding that JTC was the only one offering such services for free.

“As we speak, the garden waste collection contract ends in July, but we do not have any provisions to cater for that”, she said.

Furthermore, Ms Ditsie noted that through the Jwaneng Environmental Regeneration Strategy, the council had received more than 100 litter bins from the private sector, which were positioned in open spaces across the township to keep the environment clean.

Jwaneng residents complained of delays in waste collection thereby rendering the environment an eye sore. 

One of the residents, Mr Bankinyana Montsiemang indicated that collection of household waste was delayed and trees cut through the Ipelegeng programme were not collected on time.

Other residents called for government to consider regulating rentals in Jwaneng to make them affordable to many. 

They said the exorbitant rentals and high unemployment rate made life difficult for them. 

“Due to unemployment, we are mostly engaged in Ipelegeng but because of high rentals, we stay in Sese and end up spending a lot on transport. Ipelegeng wages also remain the same yet we are doing a great job keeping the township clean,” said Mr Boitumelo Makabe. BOPA