The area adjacent to the Eerste Fabriek PRASA station in Mamelodi has turned into an eyesore and a serious health hazard due to rampant illegal dumping.
The open space near the station’s blue palisade fence is now covered with plastic waste, household rubbish, rubble and overgrown grass, with makeshift structures also erected on the site. The stench and pollution have left residents and commuters frustrated, with many accusing the City of Tshwane of neglecting the area.
For daily PRASA commuters, the dumping site is not just an eyesore but a daily struggle.
One commuter who uses the Eerste Fabriek line daily, Sizwe Maswanganyi said the situation has become unbearable.
“We have to walk through this rubbish and dirty water every morning just to get to the platform. It smells terrible, it’s not safe, especially for women and children, and it shows that no one cares about us as train users. We pay to use the train, but we are forced to live like this,” he said.
Residents have called on the City of Tshwane and PRASA to urgently clean the area, enforce anti-dumping by-laws and provide proper waste collection services to prevent further illegal dumping.
