The Environmental Management Inspectorate (EMI), popularly referred to as the Green Scorpions, inspected the Eastern Cape province as part of the National Environmental Law Compliance Campaign during October and November 2010. The Green Scorpions will this week proceed to Limpopo for the next leg of the campaign.
At the Eastern Cape inspections, the Green Scorpions found that EnviroServ constructed and operated a storm water dam and the leachate treatment plant at Aloes H:H Landfill Site without obtaining the required environmentalauthorisation and permit. The co-disposal ratio was not in compliance with the permit requirements. Furthermore, some of the recommendations contained in an external audit report had not been implemented.
EMI inspections at other sites found that construction has been completed or is proceeding at generally acceptable standards which are in compliance with the environmental legislations.
The deepening of the car terminal berth at the Transnet East London Port was completed in September 2010 and overall compliance was found to be acceptable. However, the EMIs noted that the required water quality comparison data for the estuary was still outstanding and the management of the dredged materials stockpile on site was inadequate.
The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) Working for Wetlands project, involving the construction of permanent structures for the rehabilitation of degraded wetlands at the Hogsback and Tsitsikamma wetland systems had just commenced and no major non-compliances were found.
The Transnet projects at the Coega Industrial Development Zone involving the construction of the Port Control Building; two additional berths at the container terminals and an administrative craft basin as well as the construction of the deep water port on the Coega mouth river estuary are well underway. No major non-compliances were identified and rehabilitation of the affected areas at the estuary is still to be conducted.
The Limpopo inspections take place from 6 to 10 December 2010. The inspections will take place at various Eskom projects at the Medupi Power Station and Eskom Spitskop substation in Limpopo. It will also cover the Neotel optic fiber network project from Germiston to Cato Ridge which goes through Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State to KwaZulu-Natal province.
The main objectives of the campaign are to monitor adherence to conditions stipulated in Environmental Authorisations; Environmental Management Plans and Waste Management Licenses as well as to improve the general status of compliance within the regulated community through taking appropriate enforcement actions in the event of non-compliance.
All non-compliances detected during the inspections are currently being reviewed and will be met with appropriate enforcement action where necessary.
Members of the public are urged to report environmental transgressions to 0800 205 005
Enquiries:
Moses Randitsheni
Cell: 082 448 2450
Roopa Singh
Cell: 082 225 3076
