Who’ll pay fire damages, residents ask

DURBAN residents are demanding accountability and compensation for the hazardous aftermath of a recent warehouse fire.

The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) held a community meeting last week where residents expressed their frustration at having to bear the costs for damage caused to their property by the flying debris.

Michael Pillay, 64, spent hundreds of rand refurbishing his home after soot and oil covered parts of his walls and roof.

He wanted to know who would compensate him for that costs and for his 35-yearold daughter’s medical bills.

“My daughter is asthmatic and had to have two consults with a doctor who diagnosed that pollutants from the fire might have triggered her condition. Who will compensate us?”

The same question was raised several times during the meeting.

Parts of Gonnie Naidu’s home on Lenham Drive are covered in oil; a high-pressure hose to wash away the grime didn’t remove it.

Naidu said: “Our walls have oil stains that won’t go. We don’t know what to do.”

SDCEA co-ordinator Desmond D’sa, said the organisation had received numerous complaints from residents who had similar property and health issues.

Residents from Clairwood, Glenashley, Durban Central, Ballito and other areas have complained to D’SA.

“And we’ve urged the ethekwini Municipality to be transparent in their investigation. We want them to show the true effects of the wide-ranging damage caused by the fire,” he said.

D’SA said the fire’s emission also affected flora, fauna and marine life in the Durban Harbour and Mhlathuze River.

KZN Subsistence Fishermen’s Forum representative Suren Beeprajh was concerned that “whatever is dumped at sea has to come out on land, so what is going to happen to the marine life?”

Niven Reddy of the environmental justice service, groundwork said reports from the South African Air Quality Information Service station for the ethekwini Municipality have not been publicised in years.

“How do we hold anybody accountable if our air quality seems not to have been monitored?” he asked.

SDCEA and groundwork said the city did not have emergency evacuation plans in place.

Ward 48 councillor and DA ethekwini caucus chairperson Bradley Singh said he was shocked about the information revealed at the meeting and would table the relevant issues at the next municipal meeting.

Ethekwini spokesperson Tozi Mthethwa said the city had a comprehensive evacuation plan, and referred questions about air quality and compensation to Transnet.

Transnet did not respond at the time of publication.