13 December 2004 Press Release Heavy Fines to be imposed for litter and dumping at Joburg open spaces Festive Seasons usually brings huge tonnage of unneeded and rejected material from a community exchanging gifts and other related material showing their goodwill during this period. To coincide with increased rejected material, the City of Johannesburg's Regional Environmental Health Units are to step up prosecutions against residents who litter and create unhealthy conditions at open and undeveloped spaces and on streets of the City. In the past year, the City spent R151m in sweeping over 73 647 tonnes of litter in the streets and another R54m was spent for removing illegally dumped material totalling 272 962 tones. "To clamp down on this activity, we are warning residents to stop the bad habits or face consequences of their actions by paying fines ranging from R300 to R1 000," said the City's Acting Deputy Director of Environmental Health, Nic van Deventer. Van Deventer added that those who fail to pay these fines stood a chance of being imprisoned for up to six months. While joint operations involving Environmental Health Officers and Municipal Police would target certain open spaces from time to time, residents are encouraged to report anyone seen dumping or littering near their property. "Johannesburg City covers an area of over 1 645 square kilometers from Midrand in the North to Orange Farm in the South. It is necessary for the residents to assist us in ensuring that they live in a clean and healthy environment by exposing transgressors," said Van Deventer. He also added that the City's eleven Regions would also provide Environmental Health personnel to assist in dealing with transgressors. Owners of vehicles and trailers who are found dumping, will be fined up to R1 000; a wheelbarrow or container of rubbish would cost a culprit R500 and general littering R300. Sources of some of the dirt are identified as items carelessly thrown in the street by passengers in moving or stationary vehicles, dumping at open spaces (which are not designated), storing of unneeded items which threaten the health of others, and/ or domestic waste, rubble from building sites, unused or broken glass, tins, paper, car wrecks or parts of motor vehicles, dead animals, waste water or flushing water or other litter or waste, whether liquid or solid, on or in a street, road, bridge, thorough fare, open space, vacant stand, public place or erf, spruit or watercourse dumped or dropped thereon. Van Deventer justified the City's drastic measures explaining that it was necessary so that the City could stop: - inconsiderate people from violating the property rights of theCouncil and other property owners and the misuse of properties that do not belong to them. - degradation of the environment and urban decay with the resultant loss of investment opportunities. - devaluation of properties - disease outbreaks - harbourage and breeding places for flies, mosquitoes, rodents and vermin - wind born pollution - blockages of storm water systems - silting of water courses and dams - air, soil and water pollution - wasted costs brought about by remedial action that has to be undertaken by the Council and property owners while removing sources of disease, infestation and pollution - pedestrian and traffic hazards - negative and harmful perceptions of the City of Johannesburg. Wasted costs that can be measured are associated with, among others: the cleaning and clearing of land rehabilitation of land removal of stormwater system blockages de-silting of water courses and dams water purification Other forms of wasted costs that cannot or are not easy to quantify are those related to: cost of curative health loss of economic investment loss of tourist investment and trade damage to the eco-system. This serves as an example of wasted taxpayer's money that could be better utilized where more needed. Many of the basic and urgent needs of communities cannot be fulfilled due to the ever-increasing wasted costs that are unnecessarily spent by the Council on the removal of unsatisfactory conditions that have been caused by inconsiderate people. It therefore stands to reason that the Council cannot tolerate the fouling and littering of public places and open spaces any longer. The zero tolerance principles will therefore be applied and offenders fined or summonsed to appear in Court. They will not get the benefit of a warning ticket ­“ which did not lead to payment of a fine - as in the past. The increasing number of complaints that are received from the public in this regard justify the Council's drastic measures. Members of the public are urged to continue with the good practice of reporting offenders to their Regional Environmental Health Offices at the following contact details: Region 1&2 (011) 237 8002 Region 3 (011) 881 6458 Region 4 (011) 474 6703/4/5/6 Region 5 (011) 761 0217 Region 6 (011) 986 0169 Region 7 (011) 531 5604 Region 8 (011) 376 8522 Region 9 (011) 681 8051 Region 10 (011) 933 2422 Region 11 (011) 213 0019/0137 The City of Johannesburg depends on the cooperation of its Citizens in making our City a better place for all to live in and thereby creating a World Class African City of which all can be proud. For further information contact: Nic van Deventer Acting Deputy Director: Environmental Health Tel: (011) 407 6796 or Cell: 082 559 3763 Issued on behalf of the City of Johannesburg Environmental Heal Department by: Gabu Tugwana Communications Director Telephone: (011) 407 7322 Cell: 082 495 5673 Facsimile: (011) 403 3494 Email: gabut@joburg.org.za Nthatisi Modingoane Media Liaison Officer CITY OF JOHANNESBURG Tel: (011) 407 7354 Fax: 403 3494 Cell: 082 467 9228 E-mail: nthatisem@joburg.org.za