UPDATE: Wetland sees no justice yet
MIDRAND - The question of whether illegal dumpers are being brought to book was propelled into the spotlight after two men dumped an unknown substance into a wetland last week.
23 October, 8am:
A motorist, who wished to remain anonymous, apprehended one man, while the other fled. The two were dumping a substance from two steel drums into the Vodacom wetland near Olifantsfontein and Lever Roads. The motorist said the substance had turned the water white and the drum was labelled as a harmful substance.
The motorist’s calls to Midrand police, the Department of Water Affairs and city council did not yield a response and he had to let the man go.
Department of Water Affairs director Linda Page countered that the department was the first to respond with a dispatch team after they were notified by a journalist, but said the man was not apprehended.
“Joburg Water and Tshwane Disaster Management were contacted by the department and further onsite inspections were conducted. Water samples were taken and the relevant processes to clean the area were undertaken. Joburg Water provided some of the resources as that area is within their jurisdiction,” said Page. She said further investigations were on going.
Midrand police communication officer Constable Matome Tlamela said Midrand police could not respond because illegal dumping was not in their jurisdiction, but rather that of Metro police. She confirmed that the department of environmental health was also investigating.
Reports suggested that the substance could be cyanide, but Wetlands in Crisis chairperson Paul Fairall said a laboratory test would need to prove that. Duncan Goldsmith, Managing Director of Rigifoam, a polyurethane foam and system supplier, said the company was unfairly implicated in the incident. Goldsmith confirmed that one of the drums in question was used to supply one of their clients three years ago, based on the batch number traceability. He said the only access the dumper could have had to the drum was through a drum merchant who had not followed the material safety data sheet in the correct disposal process. He confirmed that Rigifoam does not use cyanide in their production and the label does not state such a substance was present.
Fairall said it was disturbing that someone was dumping in the wetland and the fact it
could be toxic was worrying. He said it could potentially damage the Rietspruit and Hennops River. John Gainsford, ward committee member for the portfolio of environment and infrastructure, also hoped the people responsible would be brought to book. “I was appalled to hear that anybody would consider dumping anything in our precious waters. Wetlands, a small integral part of these ecosystems, are natural water filters and home to insects, frogs, fish and birds, just to name a few,” said Gainsford.
Details: Metro police emergency line, 011-375-5911.
19 October, 6.41pm
NOORDWYK – Poison has reportedly been dumped into a Midrand wetland.
During the past week, Midrand motorists driving along Olifantsfontein Road noticed a truck was dumping a liquid into the wetland close to Lever Road.
One motorist, who wished to remain anonymous, stopped to find out what the truck driver was dumping. The truck driver would not say what the liquid was but said he was emptying the contents of the drums so that he could use them.
The motorist called the police however it is still unclear if charges were laid against the man, who was illegally dumping liquid into the wetland.
The drums allegedly contained poison, believed to be cyanide. It was reported that 600 litres had been dumped into the Olifantsfontein wetland.
It was also reported that the Department of Environmental Health would destroy the drums and the wetland would be rehabilitated.
