There is a river at the end of Meintjies Street in Aberdeen, and an empty property next to it which ends on the corner of Church Street. This area, being an empty property, plus the land going down to the river is being used as a dumping site and as a toilet. 4x4’s, donkey carts and bakkies regularly bring foul smelling rubbish and dump it onto the banks of the river. Trees are being chopped down and the stone wall used as a bank to stop soil erosion around the river, is being taken away and used as building material by nearby residents.The disgusting odour, and the increasing health hazard caused by incessant flies has to be borne by the nearby residents whose view from their gardens is now a rubbish filled area.
This derelict property which has an empty dam on it, is filled with papers, plastic bags, beer and cool drink cans, also has signs of fires being lit inside the dam.
This unfenced property is clearly now being used as a thoroughfare and recreation area for vagrants.
It is pitiful to stand amidst this rubbish strewn property, and look straight up the street to the beautiful N.G.Kerk.
The Municipality has been contacted about this situation and has promised to have the area cleared. In the meantime, residents are photographing all vehicles using this area as a dumping ground. The Municipality should contact the absentee owner who lives in Mossel Bay and have him/her clear the property and fence it off from the river. In this way there would no longer be a thoroughfare or availability for dumping. Perhaps the Municipality will advise the residents of Meintjies Street of the actions they will be taking to restore this area to a residential site and the river area to its pristine condition.
Article By: Joan Tinker
