Site not emitting toxic smell
Complaints cited as sour grapes by one resident who was an employee, says chief of DCLM
THE residents of New Guelderland, outside Stanger (Kwadukuza), want the Dolphin Coast Landfill Management (DCLM) hazardous site closed for the alleged toxic fumes being emitted.
The chairman of the local environmental committee, Aresh Singh, said the odour was making people sick and many displayed symptoms similar to those reported in the Upper Highway, where the community has been at loggerheads with Enviroserv over its Shongweni landfill.
The symptoms include irritated sinuses, respiratory infections and asthma attacks.
Singh claimed DCLM had been aware of the odour for a few years as he and other residents had complained to the company. He has also started a Whatsapp group where residents can lodge complaints, via their phones, to be passed on to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).
“We are unable to prove the landfill is causing these problems because we don’t have money to run tests, but people should not be left to die because they are poor,” said Singh.
His sentiments were echoed by Mdumiseni Mzobe, who said the intensity of the odour could not have come from anywhere but the landfill.
“It’s really bad in winter but not so bad in summer. I worry about my children because they are still young, and I don’t know what is going to be the long-term health implications from these fumes,” he said.
Sharon Pandaram, said the odour was affecting her son’s education, and he had been out of school since September because of frequent and severe asthma attacks and allergies.
“Caleb was born with asthma and whenever the odour is in the air he has an attack. He carries medication to school but if the attack happens in the morning, I don’t send him,” she said.
Pandaram said several doctors had advised her to move her family to an area where Caleb would not be exposed to the odour, but she was unable to do so because she and her husband were unemployed.
DCLM has also been accused of accepting waste material from Shongweni, whose operating licence was suspended in April.
DCLM’S chief executive James Ndebele disputed all the allegations, saying they were maliciously spread by Singh as he had an ongoing dispute with the company.
“We accept waste from some of Enviroserv’s former clients. We never accept waste which is restricted as per the national norms, and waste that is chemical in nature, which is noxious and odorous,” he said.
He accused Singh of attempting to tarnish DCLM’S reputation as he was being investigated for allegedly misappropriating funds at Ukuphakamisa, an NPO set-up and sponsored by DCLM.
“DCLM donated R20 000 monthly for seven months while he (Singh) was the chairman, but he could not account for the money except his airtime, fuel, beach clean-up and a community party expenses,” said Ndebele.
Since Singh left earlier this year, the odour complaints started to be aired. Previously, he complimented the company’s running of the landfill.
This was confirmed by general manager Kyle Gaffar, who said Singh also used to provide services such as catering for DCLM meetings and fitting sound systems in their offices.
Singh confirmed his former relationship with DCLM, but denied the allegations. He said the allegations of misused funds were used as an excuse to ignore their suffering.
“I never misappropriated any funds. If I have, they should lay charges,” he said.
Singh said DCLM also owed his daughter, Bhavna Singh, bank charges and taxes on the donation that was deposited into her account on behalf of community body Ukuphakamisa, which is not registered and did not have a bank account, he said.
“There is an odour arising out of the decomposing waste, but it is not a chemical odour like Singh is claiming. That’s a lie,” said Ndebele.
He said Pandaram’s claims that the odour had exacerbated her child’s asthma was misleading because Dr Medeshni Annamalai confirmed, in a letter, that the child had only a chronic condition. The doctor said he was not examined when drafting the letter.
DEA spokesperson Albi Modise said the department was investigating the complaints and a report would be issued once completed.