Makhanda generates around 2.1kg of waste per person every day. Going by the last official population count that makes a staggering 172 326 kilograms a day, or 5 200 tons a month… close on 63 000 tons a year.
For years and years, most of that has ended up in the Cradock Road landfill – the hellhole that has come close to seeing Makana Municipality’s chief accounting officer and political head behind bars.
The municipal dump will never be heaven, but the good news for the town (and perhaps Makana’s Mayor and Municipal Manager) is that in just a few weeks, according to Mphele Engineers, it will be a very different place.