Free State’s landfill sites a total disaster

AfriForum this year audited 162 landfill sites nationwide as part of this organisation’s national project to measure the quality of landfills in South Africa.

None of the 25 landfill sites audited in the Free State have met national standards. In terms of applicable legislation and regulations, including the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008, all landfill sites must comply with specific requirements.

According to, Alta Pretorius, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Mooiriver, most of the landfill sites in the Free State are in a poor state. “This can mainly be attributed to the fact that municipalities simply do not have the will to comply with the requirements. Due to mismanagement, funds are not readily available for important areas, such as landfill sites. It is unacceptable that our environment are polluted to such an extent.”

Christo Groenewald, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Bloemfontein, says that the most common problems that AfriForum encountered during the audit were the absence of waste management licenses and a total mismanagement of sites. “A part of the problem lies in the fact that municipalities do not appoint well-trained people in these important positions with the effect that there is total ignorance about the management of landfills.”

Municipal deterioration is rampant and it is noticeable that especially smaller municipalities are subject to large-scale mismanagement.

In the last two years, AfriForum has met on several occasions with Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs, and her team. From the meetings it was clear that there was insufficient communication between national, provincial and local authorities. This is proof that cooperative government and traditional affairs (Cogta) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs do not communicate with each other.