Armed criminal syndicates have taken control of a number of Joburgs decommissioned landfills, selling access to them for illegal dumping, using them as a base for drug peddling and other illegal activities and burning the waste in ways that endanger adjacent communities.
Despite being closed in 2010, the Kya Sands site has become a lucrative hub for waste lords who facilitate the illegal dumping of up to 200 truck-loads daily, including from commercial waste management companies.
A three-month investigation has found gangs accepting payments of between R200 and R500 per truck to offload waste at the dumpsite.
