Engen blasted for ‘blame-shifting’

Engen should take full responsibility for the aftermath of last year’s blast at its Durban refinery and do right by the community stuck with damages and health problems, MPs have said.

Parliament’s portfolio committee on environment, forestry and fisheries conducted an oversight visit to the Engen Refinery in Durban South, the scene of a massive explosion last year.

Several people were injured, with some suffering serious burns. There were also damages to residential flats.

Committee chairperson Fikile Xasa said community representatives had expressed a lack of trust in Engen, the municipality and the provincial government for not holding Engen accountable for the incident.

“The committee was told that the community suffers long-term health conditions such as asthma, cancer, diabetes and other respiratory illnesses, and Engen does not take responsibility.

“Similarly, Engen has not repaired damages caused by the explosion in people’s homes. The committee resolved that it will not accept the blame-shifting by Engen, instead of taking responsibility for the explosion and other associated problems,” said Xasa.

Engen has since closed the site while the probe into the explosion continues.

Community leader Desmond D’Sa said the absence of Engen and local government representatives during the committee visit showed their disrespect for the community. “The blast affected our health, some people are still very sick, but this multinational company doesn’t care,” he said,

– News24 Wire