Maritzburg dump fire covers city in black smog
The Pietermaritzburg CBD is covered in a cloud of thick black smog following a fire at the New England Road Landfill site.
Firefighters are at the scene trying to contain the blaze. Newswatch understands the fire started deep within the dump.
A resident says the smoke is so thick that she could barely see two cars in front of her on road.
The resident says parents were called to fetch their children from school.
"We couldn't have any of the kids go out today because we could not see them on the field. It was that thick. Standing from the corridor looking out onto the field there's definitely a funny smell, it doesn't smell like a wood fire. It definitely has that plastic smell to it," she said.
Scottsville resident, Cheyenne Govender says she thought something was burning close by.
"I personally thought it was something burning in my house, but then when I went outside I saw this haze. Its quite a strong smell," she said.
The Msunduzi Municipality says the fire started yesterday.
Listen to the full bulletin below: