Heritage Cases

The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) commissioned a study in 2007, completed in 2009, that aimed at identifying and determining the number of waste disposal facilities in South Africa that are not licenced. Of a total of 581 sites that were identified, 431 needed to be licensed. It was evident from the study that Local Municipalities (LMs) did not have adequate training or funding for lodging applications to licence their unlicensed waste disposal facilities or the management thereof. The Minister undertook to begin the process of licencing these sites, with a target that all would be licenced by 2013/2014. Subsequently, the DEA has identified an additional 57 municipal waste disposal facilities which must be licensed during the 2014/15 financial year. The licensing of the Williston landfill falls within the scope of this process. The existing Williston landfill is located approximately 1500 m south west of the Central Business District (CBD) of Williston. The landfill is situated on Erf 255, Portion 0 Remaining Extent (RE), directly west of the Williston water treatment works (Surveyor-general Cadastral Code 21 digit site C02600030000025500000). The existing Williston landfill with a footprint area of approximately 116,880 m2 is currently unlicensed. The site is not fenced with no access control or effective waste management being undertaken. Waste disposal is currently taking place via trenching. No liners are installed and once waste is disposed of, the municipal employees burn the waste. Abattoir waste (blood, intestines, skins and carcasses) are dumped along with the general domestic waste. Some Urine Diverted System sludge is also dumped in the trenches. Although waste disposal quantities are not noted, it is estimated that approximately 20m3 of waste per month is disposed of at the facility.