Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
With regard to the pollution that is emitted from waste management depots at Swellendam and Worcester:
- Whether his Department has taken any measures to address the situation; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
- what is the number of people from the affected communities that have been hospitalized or treated for illnesses relating to polluted air?
(1) Yes, my Department (DEA&DP) has taken measures to address the situation of non-compliance to the Waste Management Permit conditions at both the Swellendam and the Worcester Waste Disposal Facilities (WDF) / Landfill sites.
Co-operative governance engagements were conducted between the Director: Waste Management and Director: Environment Law Enforcement of my Department, the Municipal Manager and the Executive Mayor of Swellendam Municipality. Due to continuous non-compliances, an urgent letter was issued by me to the Executive Mayor. This intervention compelled the Municipality to redirect funding to waste management operations at the Swellendam WDF, to comply with DEA&DP enforcement notices, which included interim emergency measures such as, fire prevention measures, compaction, and daily surface covering. In the interim, waste generated within the jurisdiction of the Swellendam Municipality has been transported to Bredasdorp within the Cape Agulhas Municipality (CAM), for transportation and disposal to the regional Karwyderskraal WDF. The Swellendam Municipality’s future plans are to utilize the Karwyderskraal WDF for disposal.
My Department conducted meetings with the Director Technical Services from the Breede Valley Municipality in Worcester to prevent the fires occurring at the Worcester Waste Disposal Facility (WDF).
On 28 February 2020, these fires were extinguished by the Breede Valley Fire Services. The Municipality acquired 2 000 m³ of cover material and hired two heavy duty bulldozers to bring the fires on the WDF under control.
The extinguishing of the fires reduced the impact of the pollution on the local communities and the surrounding environments in both Swellendam and Worcester areas.
(2) This question will have to be answered by the Western Cape Government Department of Health (DoH). The DoH manages the cases at local clinics and Provincial hospitals in respect of affected communities. DEA&DP does not have access to or manage the requested medical/clinical statistics.
With regard to air quality management, it should be noted that DEA&DP monitors ambient air quality in the Province, as mandated by the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (No. 39 of 2004). In this regard, DEA&DP has an ambient air quality monitoring station located in Worcester, that monitors criteria air pollutants, none of which exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
DEA&DP does not have an ambient air quality monitoring station located in Swellendam – the Local Municipality also does not have the facilities to monitor ambient air quality in Swellendam.
