The driver, Andile Mkhangeli, acted quickly, emptying the load onto the road while the Fire Department was called to extinguish the blaze.

Lorenzo Hendricks, who oversees refuse removal across the Overstrand, said that thanks to the quick response from the team, no injuries were reported and the truck was saved from serious damage. He added that it could have been catastrophic if the fire had been left to burn for a longer period.

Overstrand Municipality would like to remind the community that batteries, e-waste and battery-powered devices must never be disposed of with general household waste.

When crushed, batteries – particularly lithium-ion types – can spark or overheat, causing fires in refuse collection vehicles filled with combustible waste.

Residents are urged to dispose of batteries and other hazardous waste, such as paint, chemicals and motor oil, at designated drop-off facilities and/or transfer stations: Hermanus Public Drop-off at the end of Schulphoek Road (hand in at the weighbridge), the Gansbaai landfill (hand in at the weighbridge), or, if in Kleinmond, hand it to staff at the Transfer Station.

Waste collection teams cannot always detect hazardous items in bins before compaction, making proper disposal essential to protect workers, equipment, and the community.

The drop-off facilities locations and operating hours are available on the municipal website: www.overstrand.gov.za > How to Guide > Dispose of Refuse