Our team visited the Tsoeneng landfill in Lesotho on Wednesday to assess the waste management challenges faced by the Maseru Municipal Council.
The proposed landfill site spans 39 hectares, intended to replace the current dumpsite situated uncomfortably close to residential areas.
The council’s goal is to establish a properly engineered landfill at the new site.
During the visit, it was noted that the council manages two primary types of waste: general waste and hazardous industrial sludge.
However, the absence of a landfill in Lesotho has created significant challenges in handling and disposing of these waste streams effectively.
The operational inefficiencies were evident, with the refuse collection fleet being severely outdated—compactor trucks last procured in 2007 were still in use and are no longer effective.
Additionally, decentralisation has compounded the challenges, making coordination and monitoring of waste management efforts difficult.
Another critical issue observed was the lack of municipal by-laws to enforce waste management practices. This regulatory gap has led to widespread non-compliance from the community, further exacerbating waste management challenges. Overall, the visit highlighted the urgent need for intervention.
Our Visit to Tsosane Dumpsite, Maseru, Lesotho
Our team also visited the Tsosane dumpsite, located within a residential area in Maseru. This dumpsite presented several concerning observations:
•A significant number of waste pickers were seen operating at the site without any form of protective clothing.
•The waste pickers lacked essential safety gear such as masks, gloves, or proper footwear, exposing them to hazardous materials and unsafe working conditions.
•The proximity of the dumpsite to residential areas poses a serious health and environmental risk to the surrounding communities.
