COMMUNITY-BASED organisations and Interfaith leaders have called for the cancellation of Enviroserv’s licence at the Shongweni landfill site.
They called on Environmental Affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube and Minister Barbara Creecy to cancel the licence after a chemical leak into rivers and streams at the site in Pinetown, west of Durban.
Bishop Sandile Ndlela told Daily Sun he had gone to the site recently and coughed for days afterwards after he inhaled chemical fumes.
He said church members in the area had told him people’s health had been affected by the gasses.
Ubumbano Lokuthula leader Andile Hlatshwayo said: “I want MEC Dube-Ncube to visit the area and stand next to the site for a few minutes so she can feel what people experience. We want government to punish this company.”
“We are compiling a list to find out how many people died or were affected. We want the company to compensate the victims,’’ he said.
Spokesman Sithabiso Motsaki wouldn’t comment because the company wasn’t invited to the media briefing.
Environmental Affairs spokesman Nathi Olifant asked to be emailed questions but had not responded at the time of going to print.
