Diesel spill fuels residents’ anger
Transnet lost more than 200 000 litres of diesel when a fuel pipe erupted in Hillcrest.
MORE than 200 000 litres of diesel poured out of an underground pipeline and into the gardens of the Greenvale Village complex in Hillcrest recently.
The complex, which was affected by the spillage, is only a few meters away from the Transnet Hillcrest pump station.
According to ward 10 councillor Rick Crouch, he had raised safety and noise concerns regarding the pipeline with Transnet over a year ago. Transnet sent an official to meet with him and they toured the length of the pipeline, which traverses ward 10.
The pair also met with a Reservoir Road resident who had previously complained about noise emanating from the pipeline as fuel moves through it.
“He did his best to convince me that there was no danger related to the pipeline as it was well monitored and maintained, and apparently the noise was coming from elsewhere. After all of that, this is what we are sitting with,” said Crouch.
The fuel erupted from the ground just after 1am, and the loss is estimated at more than R2.4-million. The pipeline was consequently shut, and clean-up crews were dispatched immediately to assess the scene.
“Transnet has not been very transparent with the residents who were affected. They are not getting daily updates, and Transnet appears to be attempting to minimise this whole disaster; yes – it is a major disaster.
“One resident told me that he had an ionizer and coffee delivered to him by Transnet, to ‘mask the odor’,” said Crouch.
The residents who were most affected by the downpour of diesel have not been relocated but, because of the carcinogenic properties of diesel, ‘they should have been immediately’, noted Crouch.
“I am disappointed but not surprised that the mayor has not visited the affected residents or sent out a statement regarding this disaster in his municipality.
“What has this done to the value of the properties in that complex? Transnet has not fulfilled their obligation to the affected residents: they have done too little, and it has come too late,” concluded Crouch.
