Officials take action after video surfaces of employee sweeping trash into sewer

A video showing a municipal waste employee sweeping litter into a stormwater drain has prompted swift disciplinary action from officials in South Africa, the Independent Online reported.

The footage shows a municipal waste worker in eThekwini pushing street trash directly into the storm drain rather than properly collecting it for disposal.

In response, city authorities said that the contractor confirmed a "notice of suspension has been issued" to the employee involved. The municipality also reportedly fined the contractor, who has been instructed to formally apologize for the incident at an upcoming Portfolio Committee meeting.

Aside from being fired for simply not performing the job correctly (i.e., properly disposing of trash collected in the street), there are consequences for pushing garbage and debris into a storm drain. 

Stormwater drains typically flow into rivers, streams, and eventually the ocean, and they're meant to prevent rainwater from pooling in streets, as the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension explained. Plastics and other debris can clog these drain pipes, especially during heavy rains, increasing the risk of flooding in surrounding communities.

Plus, when trash and pollutants are swept into these systems, they can contribute to water contamination and marine pollution, as the untreated runoff flows directly into waterways we rely on for our own water supply.

Unfortunately, this happens more often than we realize. In Uganda, one man was dumping garbage into a city drainage channel; fortunately, he was caught and fined. In another case in Florida, two men were caught dumping cooking grease into a storm drain; they were later arrested.

For readers concerned about protecting local waterways, you can take local action by engaging with city officials, attending council meetings, and supporting policies that strengthen waste oversight to make a difference. It's also essential to prevent littering in the street by properly disposing of garbage (and recycling whenever possible).

The public expressed outrage online over the worker's actions. "When you have no pride of your environment," one person wrote on YouTube. 

Another user commented on the video, "She should get fired, period." 

Which of these savings plans for rooftop solar panels would be most appealing for you? Save $1,000 this year 💸 Save less this year but $20k in 10 years 💰 Save less in 10 years but $80k in 20 years 🤑 Couldn't pay me to go solar 😒 Click your choice to see results and earn rewards to spend on home upgrades.

A third added, "Same reason the rivers are screwed; if I chuck something in over here, its not my problem anymore."

Meanwhile, on a Facebook post sharing the clip, one commenter pointed out the consequences of the worker's actions, saying, "When it rains the water gushes into homes because drains are blocked." 

Another user added, "She needs to be educated about environment. Maybe she was just told not to do it without any explanation why."

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.