WATCH | Abandoned container tuckshops cause a stink
Residents say at least two of the three containers were previously used as spaza shops run by foreign nationals.
Abandoned shipping containers that once operated as tuckshops have become a refuge for vagrants and alleged drug users, leaving residents living near an illegal dumping site in Pietermaritz Street fearing for their safety and demanding urgent intervention from Msunduzi Municipality.
Residents say at least two of the three containers were previously used as spaza shops run by foreign nationals before being abandoned after the March and March campaign calling for the deportation of undocumented immigrants.
ALSO READ | Dumping crisis sparks municipality-wide crackdown
Since being moved onto the vacant property, they say the containers have become the centre of growing criminal activity, illegal dumping and serious public health concerns.
A Witness investigation confirmed that the containers were moved onto the vacant plot shortly after the deportation campaign began.
It also found that a man claiming ownership of the containers is the prospective purchaser of the property, which was put up for sale after an illegal scrap metal business operating on the site was shut down late last year.
However, the sale has not been finalised because the prospective buyer has yet to meet the legal requirements for the transfer of ownership.
The Witness tracked down the owner of the containers, John Emam, who confirmed they belonged to him but denied any knowledge of the conditions surrounding them.
ALSO READ | Msunduzi aims to curb illegal dumping and protect rivers
I don’t know anything about the dumping, but those are my containers.
“I don’t understand why people are complaining because that is my plot. I bought it,” Emam said.
He declined to provide further details about the property purchase or where the containers had previously been used.
Residents, however, say the containers have transformed the area into a hotspot for illegal dumping, open defecation, drug use and unlawful occupation, with families now afraid to let their children outside.
Samkelisiwe Mbeje said the first two containers appeared on the vacant land around April and conditions had steadily deteriorated.
These people rummage through refuse collected from the many spaza shops down the road and scatter it everywhere after taking what they want.
“We are losing tenants, and we are afraid to let our children leave the yard because of the health risks and the danger posed by the drug users,” she said.
“This is not only about the filth. Drug addicts are now sleeping inside the containers right next to our property.
ALSO READ | Cultivating a sustainable garden to curb illegal dumping
“It is frightening because we don’t know what could happen, and just across the road there is a school where children are exposed to these conditions every day.”
Mbeje said she had repeatedly reported the matter to ward councillor Dante Kemp and shared messages requesting intervention.
According to her, Kemp indicated that his hands were tied and that municipal management had shown little urgency in addressing the issue.
Another resident, Noluthando Ngubane, said the illegal dumping had become unbearable, accusing municipal waste collectors of selectively removing refuse while leaving large amounts behind.
These addicts urinate and defecate in the open. They drag rubbish from the shops down the road, take whatever recyclables they can find and leave the rest scattered around.
“There are even cow skulls lying there. The smell is unbearable,” she said.
ALSO READ | Recycling drive targets illegal dumping in Mpophomeni
Residents say the dumping site continues to expand around the containers, creating what they describe as an escalating health and safety hazard.
They are calling on Msunduzi Municipality to remove the containers, clear the dumping site and prevent further unlawful occupation of the property.
Kemp said the vacant plot was put up for sale after he initiated the closure of an illegal scrap metal business operating there.
However, the prospective purchaser had not yet met the legal requirements to complete the sale.
“The matter is still undergoing the legal processes. The potential buyer violated those processes by dumping those containers there, and I have driven past the area, and the dumping is worsening,” Kemp said.
Kemp said the containers had been placed on the property in contravention of the ongoing legal process and municipal by-laws.
ALSO READ | Hospital raises alarm over illegal dumping, vagrants near new facility
Msunduzi Municipality acting spokesperson Mpume Mthembu said the municipality was aware of the containers and that the matter was under investigation.
She said the relevant municipal departments were assessing the situation to establish the circumstances surrounding the containers’ presence and would determine the appropriate course of action.
Environmental health unit is currently assessing the matter in terms of applicable by-laws, while the building control is investigating whether any newly placed containers comply with building regulations, as containers used as structures require the necessary approvals.
“Appropriate enforcement action will be taken where non-compliance is identified. The municipality is also investigating allegations that refuse collection teams leave litter behind during servicing.
ALSO READ | Environmental groups weigh in on Bisley medical waste dumping
“The area forms part of the scheduled cleansing programme; however, repeated illegal dumping remains a significant challenge and contributes to the rapid deterioration of the site,” Mthembu said.
