While complaints about the hazardous fumes emanating from the old Panorama Pikitup Garden seem to have dwindled, Pikitup has confirmed that they managed to put out the fire.
From 29 August, residents neighbouring the refuse site raised health concerns about the strong-smelling smoke that covered the sky and infiltrated their properties after heaps of compost were set on fire on the premises.
The situation resulted in Pikitup temporarily closing off the site while they dispatched a team to work on 24-hour basis to extinguish the blaze.
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The spokesperson for the entity, Muzi Mkhwanazi, confirmed to the Northsider that the fire was put out and the temporary garden site was eventually reopened. “The temporary garden site was reopened as from 9 September for residents to dispose of their garden waste as well as recyclables,” he said.
Rumour has it that the fire was sparked by vagrants camping on the boundary of the site. The entity was asked whether the vagrants’ behaviour will be monitored to avoid a repeat of such a disastrous event. Muzi responded, “It is not Pikitup’s mandate to monitor the behaviour of anyone outside of its property – that mandate resides with both the police and Johanesburg Metro Police Department. There is private security onsite at the gate that is responsible for guarding against trespassers, among other things”.
