KNYSNA NEWS - Responding to complaints regarding the littered and garbage-filled area at Nekkies, commonly referred to as Sanlam Mall, Knysna Municipality says the centre is responsible for their own refuse removal and that dustbins will be distributed to assist in this regard.
Two weeks ago Francois Jansen, manager at Nekkies Sports Bar, complained that more than five weeks of "nonexistent refuse collection services" resulted in an unsightly and potentially unhealthy situation at the centre. He said a contractor was hired by the municipality and usually cleaned the area once a week.
According to a statement from the municipality, in terms of the lease agreement the lessee is responsible for the cleanliness and removal of refuse at the centre.
“Our legal department has put them to terms with regards to this matter. Our waste management department conducted an on-site inspection and has done a once-off cleanup of the area. We will also distribute wheelie bins to businesses to assist in containing the waste,” reads the municipality's statement.
Jansen however, disputes this. “We have received no communication from the municipality and there are no dustbins anywhere here,” he says. “We feel the municipality must take responsibility because this centre has now become an informal taxi rank. There are always people here but they are not our customers – they are commuters who also need bathrooms. The toilets have not been cleaned for a year,” he says, adding that the municipality sent cleaners to the centre to pick up rubbish shortly after the initial article was published on 23 August.
“They were cleaning for about three days. It's so clean I can eat from the floor,” smirked Jansen. “But we still want a long-term solution.”
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