A growing waste crisis in Johannesburg is leaving communities surrounded by mountains of illegally dumped rubbish, raising concerns over public health and the city’s waste management system.
In the industrial suburb of Kya Sands, an enormous pile of illegally dumped waste has grown so large that it now extends across and beyond a road in the area.
The dumping intensified after a nearby municipal landfill reached capacity and was closed in 2010. More than a decade later, rubbish has spread across the surrounding valley, while smoke can often be seen rising from sections where waste is burned.
Residents say delays in municipal refuse collection have worsened the situation, with children among those they fear are most exposed to the health risks posed by the growing piles of waste.
Linda Makole, a resident, said the conditions were unacceptable for families living in the area.
“Small children can’t possibly be healthy living in this environment. As parents, we’re in pain living in these conditions,” she said.
Makole also called for greater community involvement in tackling the problem, suggesting that residents could pool resources to hire private waste collectors.
“My take is that our area wouldn’t be this dirty if only the community stood together, contributed 20 rands and hired someone with a van to collect all the litter. If we minimise the litter, it’ll help our children health-wise,” she said.
Municipal councillor Devon Steenkamp attributed the crisis to years of poor planning and mismanagement, rather than isolated problems such as broken refuse trucks or industrial action.
“Since December last year, which is 2025, for the few months now, refuse hasn’t been collected on time, and it’s not just because of broken trucks or strikes that are happening in odd periods. It’s been years of mismanagement that’s been affecting refuse collection,” Steenkamp said.
The waste problem extends beyond Johannesburg, as rapidly expanding cities across Africa struggle to keep pace with growing volumes of rubbish and inadequate systems for collection, recycling and disposal.
In Kya Sands, residents say some waste has remained uncollected for weeks, prompting increased reliance on informal waste haulers.
But while these operators provide an alternative for some households, residents continue to face the broader consequences of inadequate waste management, including illegal dumping, open burning and growing concerns about the health and safety of surrounding communities.
