Prolonged dumpsite blaze endangers community

For more than two weeks, residents of Gumtree Road and surrounding areas in Kenville and Sea Cow Lake have been living under a thick cloud of toxic smoke, as an illegal fire continues to burn, emitting harmful fumes into the air. What began as a smouldering fire on private land escalated into a public health issue, with families reporting respiratory discomfort and growing fears over the long-term effects of prolonged exposure to the noxious fumes.

“This is not just an inconvenience, it’s a health emergency. This fire is burning hazardous waste that has accumulated over the years of illegal dumping. The issue was reported and partially addressed in 2024, but the site was never cleared or rehabilitated,” said ward 34 councillor, Andrew Akkers.

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Despite fines and a previous raid on the site, the illegal landfill was left unattended, ultimately igniting and spreading toxic smoke through environmentally sensitive Durban Metropolitan Open Space System (D’MOSS) conservancy areas and neighbouring homes.

Frustrated residents are now demanding a permanent solution to the illegal dumping that has plagued the site for more than a decade. Many say they’ve raised concerns about the unregulated landfill long before the fire broke out, but little was done to stop the environmental degradation. The current crisis, they argue, is the direct result of years of neglect, poor enforcement, and lack of accountability.

“What we need is not just disaster response but long-term intervention,” said one community member. Residents are calling on the municipality to not only fully extinguish the fire but to rehabilitate the site, enforce stricter penalties for illegal dumping, and implement ongoing monitoring to prevent future abuse.

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The municipality last week confirmed it had deployed a multi-disciplinary task team comprising emergency services, environmental health practitioners, and air quality specialists.

“Teams are working around the clock to mitigate the impact and restore air quality,” said municipal spokesperson, Gugu Sisilane. Residents have been advised to close windows, seal air vents with damp cloths, and avoid outdoor activities until conditions improve. However, with no forecast of rain and the fire still smouldering, patience is running thin.