UPDATE: Oil spill in uMbilo River being given priority by Police Minister

UPDATE:  Wednesday, 4.30pm  (this story was updated to include the information below)

NOMSA Dube-Ncube, MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs has confirmed the status of investigations which are currently underway relating to the oil spill.

“Today during Cabinet I briefed the Minister of Police Bheki Cele. He has undertaken to ensure that all resources are deployed to deal with this criminal act which will cripple the economy of the country is left unattended,” said DUbe Ncube.  “The involvement of crime intelligence and other specialized enforcement agencies will help dismantle the syndicate and speed up the arrest of those involved in this economic sabotage.”

The Highway Mail contacted the MEC to confirm rumours that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) were involved in the investigation.   The Highway Mail is still awaiting confirmation of the same from Hawks spokesperson, 

Meanwhile Greenpeace Africa’s media spokesperson in Durban, Desiree Laverne had this to say after visiting the Bellair Road site of the spill: 

“I have been on site to inspect the crude oil spill and am horrified by what I’ve seen.  This type of risk is always present when dealing with fossil fuels. We need to learn from catastrophes like the recent Mauritius Oil Spill and now the uMbilo Oil Spill, that we need to break our dependence on fossil fuels.”

Here is the original version of the story published earlier this morning.

THE KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature MEC for the Department of Tourism and Environmental Affairs visited the site of the oil spill, at the uMbilo River, yesterday evening.  The river flows into the Durban Harbour. 

ALSO READ:   VIDEO: Massive oil spill pollutes uMbilo River along Bellair Road

“I have assigned a team of environmentalists from my department to work with Transnet following a pipeline theft incident that resulted in the spillage of crude oil in the Bellair area in Durban,” said Nomusa Dube-Ncube, MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, in an urgent statement issued as she visited the sites where a specialised team continued their mop-up operations in the river.

SDCEA

According to award winning environmental activist, Desmond D’Sa of South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), the spill of crude oil into the river is estimated at “hundreds of thousands of litres of crude oil, or perhaps even more than that.”

Bongani Mthembu who specialises in air quality monitoring for SDCEA said the danger such widespread pollution poses cannot be overstated.

While even slight smells can indicate dangerous levels of pollution, what we see and smell here is a stench of death,” he explained.

Speaking from the site of the spill yesterday evening Dube-Ncube said she was working with Transnet’s pipeline division.

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Environmentalists

 “As the department, we wish to indicate that at this stage, we are working with all role-players to implement spill containment measures to prevent damage to the environment,” the MEC added. 

“Critically, we are calling upon communities to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that those who are responsible for vandalising Transnet pipelines are brought to book,” said Dube-Ncube.

Communities

 Dube-Ncube said she was briefed on the high incidence of pipeline theft by Transnet. Yesterday afternoon Transnet said it had recorded over 80 incidents of fuel theft and incidents of attempted theft. “They have also recorded cases of tampering with pipeline infrastructure with the intention to steal fuel,” said Dube-Ncube. Transnet operates and maintains a vast network of high-pressure petroleum and gas pipelines between Durban and Gauteng.

Report

Transnet’s pipeline division urged people to report any suspicious activity. 

Transnet operates and maintains a network of 3800 km of high-pressure petroleum and gas pipelines from Durban to Gauteng across five provinces.

“We appeal to residents or any persons living near the pipelines or driving past, especially at night, to report any suspicious activities e.g. bakkies, fuel tankers in the area of the block valve chambers or near our pipeline markers etc.  The toll free number is 0800 203 843,” said Acting Chief Executive, Tanuja Naidoo.

Responsibility

“We have a responsibility as the people of this province to ensure that we protect this valuable infrastructure which is critical for our economy,” said the MEC. 

ALSO READ:  No wonder it stinks! High levels of E. coli found in uMbilo River

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