hailed as a success
16 March 2007
Environmental protection received a boost yesterday, when environmental
management inspectors (popularly referred to as 'green scorpions'), embarked on
a nationwide drive to clamp down on environmental offenders. The national
enforcement drive has been described by Ms Joanne Yawitch, Deputy
Director-General for Environmental Quality and Protection at the national
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, as a huge success and a
victory for environmental protection.
"The countrywide action has definitely contributed to the overall objective
of highlighting the critical issue of environmental crimes and raising
awareness around the role of community participation in protecting and
sustaining the environment for future generations," said Yawitch. The first in
a series of planned Enforcement Days saw inspectors across the country execute
scheduled enforcement activities ranging from site inspections in determining
compliance levels, to disseminating information to the public in an effort to
increase environmental enforcement awareness.
Launch of compliance campaign in the chemical industry
Environmental Management Inspectors (EMIs) from the national Department of
Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of
Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, together with officials from the
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, and Environmental Health Officers
from the uMhlatuze Municipality, launched a compliance campaign in the chemical
industry by conducting the first joint environmental compliance inspection at
Foskor's chemical plant in Richards Bay. The compliance inspection at Foskor
followed the first joint compliance inspection in the ferro-alloy industry at
Assmang's Cato Ridge Plant on 26 February 2007.
KZN MEC ME Mthimkulu opened the inspection at Foskor, where officials were
met with a co-operative attitude by Foskor management. Findings of the
inspection at Foskor will only be available after completion of the inspection
on Friday, 16 March 2007 and a comprehensive assessment of the plant's status
of compliance with all environmental legislation and permits. Foskor's Richards
Bay plant has been the scene of a number of emergency incidents over the past
five years.
Abattoirs in the Northern Cape in gross non-compliance
On the same day, Environmental Management Inspectors from the Northern Cape
Department of Environment and Tourism conducted surprise inspections at six
abattoirs in Olifantshoek, Kathu and Kuruman. None of the five abattoirs had
the requisite environmental authorisations, and only one of the five abattoirs
had acceptable waste disposal systems in place. One abattoir had already been
served with a notice, but had failed to comply with the notice. At five of the
abattoirs, liquid abattoir waste was kept in septic tanks which were
overflowing into the veld. Solid waste like off-cuts were found dumped in
trenches, where the waste is either burnt using tyres, or left to rot. At some
of the sites, full trenches were simply covered up and another trench dug for
waste disposal.
At one of the abattoirs, the manager tried to chase the EMIs away. The
Northern Cape Department of Environment and Tourism is considering appropriate
enforcement action against the abattoirs. The maximum penalty for the illegal
disposal of waste is 10 years imprisonment or a fine of R200 000, or both.
Boxes of medical waste left outside in the rain
Shocking scenes also awaited EMIs from the Gauteng Department of
Agriculture, Conservation and Environment (GDACE) at the Aid Safe hazardous
waste facility on the East Rand. EMIs had gone to the site on Thursday morning
to serve a compliance notice, after an investigation had revealed that Aid Safe
had failed to comply with the conditions of their Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) Record of Decision issued by GDACE.
EMIs found boxes of medical waste disintegrating after standing outside in
the rain overnight. The incinerator on site had not been operational for at
least a week due to malfunction, which meant that stored waste had piled up. No
manager was on site. These conditions are in gross non-compliance of the strict
requirements set by GDACE for the facility.
The maximum penalty for non-compliance with the conditions of an EIA
authorisation is 10 years imprisonment, a R5 million fine, or both.
Non-compliance with a compliance notice is also a criminal offence in terms of
the National Environmental Management Act, 1998.
Illegal fishing, fish processing and slipways
EMIs from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism's Marine and
Coastal Management teamed up with Table Mountain National Park EMIs to conduct
vessel inspections at slipways on the peninsula for illegal catches,
particularly illegal crayfish. During these operations one person was arrested
for the illegal possession of abalone. Raising awareness regarding the
detrimental impact of illegal fishing with nets in the Sabie River, which forms
the southwestern border of the Kruger National Park, was the focus of eight
SANParks EMIs based in the Kruger National Park. Inspectors located community
members selling fish from the river and provided them with information on the
ecological impact of illegal net fishing inside the Kruger National Park.
Developer of illegal resort on a Nelspruit River charged
On Thursday afternoon, EMIs from the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture
and Land Affairs (MDALA) set out to confront the developer of an illegal resort
on the Gladdespruit River in Nelspruit. The developer had dumped large amounts
of building rubble on the riverbank, and several trees had been chopped down.
The developer had not applied for an Environmental Impact Assessment
authorisation. Conducting such activities without an EIA authorisation from
MDALA is a criminal offence. EMIs therefore opened a criminal investigation
with the local South African Police Service (SAPS). The maximum penalty for
conducting listed activities without an EIA authorisation is 10 years
imprisonment or a R5 million fine, or both.
Environmental Management Inspectorate
The Environmental Management Inspectorate is a network of environmental
enforcement officials from different government departments (national,
provincial and municipal). EMIs monitor compliance with and enforce the
specific environmental legislation they have been mandated to enforce in their
designations by the minister or relevant MEC. Currently approximately 890 EMIs
have either been designated or are awaiting designation countrywide and will
provide South Africa with the largest environmental police force in the history
of South Africa's conservation and environmental protection efforts.
(Additional information on http://www.deat.gov.za/NewsMedia)
Members of the public and stakeholders are urged to report environmental
transgressions to the 24 hour Environmental Crimes and Incident Hotline on 0800
205 005.
For further information, contact:
Roopa Singh Telephone
Tel: (012) 310 3566
Cell: 082 225 3076
E-mail: rsingh@deat.gov.za
Melissa Fourie
National Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism
Cell: 072 306 8888
Tokgamo Gaoraelwe
Northern Cape Department of Environment & Tourism
Cell: 082 828 0234
Robin Adams
Table Mountain National Park
Cell: 082 923 1389
Tebogo Twala
Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment
Cell: 082 334 2900
Frik Rossouw
SANParks Kruger National park and Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency
Cell: 082 908 3056
Lynette Johns
Western Cape Department of Environment and Development Planning
Cell: 083 310 0113
Dr Garth Batchelor
Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs
Cell: 082 771 7998
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
16 March 2007
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, (http://www.environment.gov.za)
