"Non-existent service delivery" was a description given to the general waste removal service in parts of the industrial area in Louis Trichardt (Makhado).

The personnel at the Field and Stream Taxidermy industry were at their wits’ end this week when phone call after phone call to the municipality produced no removal of general waste.

The owner, Mr Anthony Rathbone, says that he has been in this business for the past 20 years and has never had problems with waste removal except for the last three years.

He showed Zoutpansberger a letter from the Makhado Municipality, dated August 25 this year, stating that "the policy of the Municipality with regard to the removal of refuse (general waste) from business premises is twice per week. The removal of specialized refuse is done upon a request and shall be executed until such time that by-laws will be in place".

Mr Rathbone remembers the time when refuse was collected on a daily basis.

"Now a period of three weeks may pass without the removal of our general waste. Since Friday, November 24, the secretary has phoned five times and we are totally ignored," says Mr Rathbone. The secretary, Ms Lani Engelbrecht, says that the phone was flung down in her ear the last time.

The problem has been an ongoing one. The itemized telephone bill for October/November to the municipality shows thirteen calls.

"And that is not even a busy time. Our busy time is May to September in the hunting season," adds Taxidermist, Kim Buys.

"We are a veterinary-approved taxidermy and we have to renew our certificate yearly. From our side, we do our best to keep the premises clean and tidy and we have to maintain the hygienic standard of the premises and equipment," Mr Rathbone says.

The cause of the failure of refuse removal according to schedule was "due to the breakdown of refuse removal trucks" as stated in the August letter signed by Mr Mapholi, Director Technical Services.

On November 28, Mr Mapholi again made mention of the problem of the trucks which were not in good condition and offered his apologies for the inconvenience. He said, however, that he personally saw the removal truck at Van Wyk Engineering early in the morning. The photo of the overflowing refuse heap was taken at noon, when the truck obviously had not reached the taxidermy further down in the street.

Concerning the trucks, Mr Mapholi said that they managed to buy a truck but that he will also budget for another one in the new financial year. He has requested the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism for assistance. Mr Mapholi invited complainants to phone him directly on 083 678 0658.