Hotspots of illegal dumping of solid waste along the Mthatha River

Solid waste illegal dumping is becoming a major problem as there are numerous illegal dumpsites observable along the Mthatha waterbodies. This paper aimed at mapping the hotspots of illegal dumpsites along the middle-course of Mthatha River, to suggest proper waste management strategies that can be applied. To achieve this, several field surveys along the river were conducted to identify and classify the illegal dumpsites. GPS coordinates were recorded to identify the locations of the dumpsites, which were later coded to QGIS for visual presentation. This study revealed seven hotspots of illegal dumping along the middle-course of the Mthatha River. Varied domestic waste compositions which included organic, and inorganic waste were identified as major pollutants from the informal and formal settlements. The study recommends the establishment of monitoring systems around hotspots, watercourse protection measures, frequent waste collection, environmental mass education, and law enforcement as an immediate remedy to curb the problem.