The residents of Juba City have voiced concerns over the pile-up of uncollected garbage and poor waste management in their city saying it will impact their health and the environment.
Today marks World Environment Day. It is observed every year on 5 June across the globe. The day is considered to be one of the most remarkable ones for environmental action and to create awareness among people.
The theme for World Environment Day 2021 is 'Ecosystem Restoration.'
Some residents who spoke to Radio Tamazuj, blame the authorities, particularly Juba City Council (JCC), which they say has failed to manage waste.
Jacklyn Paulino, who owns a restaurant in Juba’s Konyo-Konyo market, said the uncollected garbage around the town is a threat to the environment.
She cited JCC for collecting garbage fees from shops in the markets and other places but not actually collecting garbage. She said she has never seen any truck collecting waste in the city.
“We are forced to pay money to some children to collect our garbage using wheelbarrows and they go and dump it along the stream. When the rain comes, it will be swept away.” She said.
Another Juba dweller, Khamis Majok, called on the government to provide more trucks to collect garbage around. He said the mounds of garbage in residential areas and along the main streets in Juba depicts a bad image about the country and is unhealthy.
“If you go around Juba, you will notice garbage all over the town and along the streets. This is the source of disease,” Majok said. “I can’t pay the government and tomorrow I burn the garbage myself in front of my house. This is unfair.”
Another Juba resident who preferred anonymity for his security reasons blamed the government for the lack of waste management and yet they continue collecting fees from the people.
“Mixed garbage can stay for long and can produce a bad smell and at the same time there are people selling vegetables just next to the waste,” he said.
The JCC Mayor, Kalisto Lado, said the issue of waste management is the responsibility of everybody.
“Waste management is the duty of all, the government and the general public. Disposing of waste anyhow leads to pollution. It pollutes the soil, air and water. If waste gets to the river then it pollutes the water and even the fish,” he said.
“Our people lack the culture of paying taxes. There is no service for free. If you want your garbage to be collected, you must pay for the garbage collection- garbage fee. If you are a businessman, you have to pay taxes. If you are a property owner, you pay rental tax,” Mayor Lado said. “If you use government land, then you pay ground rent. But people do not believe in this. The whole world is run by taxes. People see America and Europe, they do not have oil but are run on taxes, be it good roads or hospitals. So I appeal to South Sudanese to embrace a culture of paying taxes.”
The Mayor said Juba City Council is in charge of health centres, primary schools, the opening of roads, cleaning, and beautification of Juba, which requires money which he can only get from taxes.
“The citizens should know that recklessly disposing of garbage is a bad thing. We have sent messages to that effect through the media. We even have laws that prohibit it and we even have bylaws and public health regulations that must be followed by everybody. And we have penalties for people who do not follow the laws,” he said.
Edmond Yakani, the executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) said South Sudanese lack a culture of waste management at all levels and that there are more than five garbage collection companies in Juba and yet the city still chokes on garbage.
“Only about 60% of South Sudanese know how to keep the environment clean and this has contributed negatively to our environment,” Yakani said. “For example, people discard empty water bottles on roads and other places without regard to other road users like blind people who can be tripped.”
He accuses some political figures who own waste companies of collecting public funds and using it for their own interest.
“If they really care about the environment they would have put more effort in managing the garbage,” he said.
Yakani challenged the JCC mayor to initiate novel strategies in waste management for the sake of public and environmental health.