Durban — Business owners operating on Teakwood Road in Jacobs, south of Durban, have urged eThekwini Municipality to close down the depot of the Ni-DA trucking company because of an alleged failure to prevent manganese spills in the area.
The firm, which is based in Newcastle, transports manganese from mines to the harbour and then parks its trucks in Jacobs, where they also wash them.
Business owners who spoke to the Daily News on Sunday said after trying to reason with the company’s management to stop the spills they have decided to escalate the matter to the City’s environmental health unit for intervention and the closure of the depot.
They said the manganese was causing various illnesses, including respiratory problems, which they and their staff had experienced.
One of the business owners, Faizel Esoop, claimed the company's management was arrogant and did not want to co-operate.
“The company is also causing water pollution and blockages in the stormwater drainage system because its workers wash trucks and manganese soil blocks the system,” Esoop alleged.
“We have been raising the problem with the company management several times since it started a few years ago. Many of us have a persistent cough and breathing problems because of the manganese spills coming from the depot.
“The company is not complying with safety measures, considering the hazardous products it is transporting, and we call on the municipality environmental health and water quality control units to come and close the depot until it complies with the City's environmental health by-laws," said Esoop.
One worker said that although he had a skin problem when he came to work in the area, it had now become worse because of the manganese spills. He said he has a terrible rash on his skin and doctors told him it was being worsened by the manganese spills.
He said they always saw company drivers tipping manganese soil on to the road. That was also causing blockages in the drainage system, he said, adding that the manganese would run to the sea and affect fish.
Another business owner, Terence Peter, said besides health problems caused by the spills they were forced to clean their businesses at all times because of manganese dust.
Another business owner, who asked not to be named, said they would want to see senior officials from the government because they suspected that the company might have a special relationship with inspectors who used to attend to their complaints.
He said although they had seen them visiting the depot, the problem continued and workers still washed trucks, causing spills again and again.
Ni-DA depot manager Arthur Visagie said his company was aware of the complaint and was working with the municipality to control the spills. He downplayed the health issues raised by the neighbouring businesses, saying as far as he knew manganese was not causing any health problems.
eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Lindiwe Khuzwayo said the City's environmental health department has been tasked to investigate the matter and issue fines if necessary.
The Daily News previously reported that areas in the south of Durban which include Jacobs, Wentworth and Merebank were complaining about health problems caused by air pollution coming from businesses operating in the area. Last week in Isipingo water pollution left many fish dead after a sewerage pipe burst.
Daily News