Residents, City lock horns over locks for wheelie bins
DURBANVILLE residents have accused the City of blocking yet another initiative by the community to stop urban decay through the fitting of locking devices to wheelie bins.
In a recent memorandum sent to sub councils, the City said the installation of locking devices on the wheelie bins or alterations of bins was illegal. It said any customer found to have illegally altered their bin would be liable for the cost of a replacement bin.
Friends of Durbanville and Racecourse chairperson Louie Storm said residents had reported that since the locks were installed, there was no refuse found scattered across their pavements on refuse collection days.
“The biggest irony in this whole sorry saga is that on the one hand the City is blaming the ratepayers for not ‘giving responsibly’ which implies only to donating to registered NPOs.
“But in this memorandum, they state that the ratepayers must put food and other valuable items separate from the other items in the rubbish bin, which goes directly against their so-called giving responsibly campaign.
“This is yet another example where ratepayers are forced to come up with a solution themselves, and then being opposed by the council. Previously it was the blanket refusal to allow any person to clean up City-owned premises without permission,” said Storm.
Mayoral committee member Xanthea Limberg said the City was working to develop processes that were sustainable and beneficial to all stakeholders.