Dirty politics blamed for charges against Action SA councillor

NEWCASTLE councillor Faizel Cassim says dirty politics and a smear campaign were behind allegations of water contamination against his laundry company.

Cassim is a member of Action SA which issued a statement recently saying that the Newcastle Municipality and uThukela Water had withdrawn their court interdict against him.

Cassim had been charged with illegal dumping and was taken to court last year for allegedly contaminating Amcor Dam and Ncandu River through his laundry company. It was alleged that chemical pollutants from the laundry company were dumped in the water.

Fishermen and farmers lodged complaints with the Newcastle Municipality. A fisherman said dead fish floated in the water while a farmer claimed his cattle died after drinking the water.

The municipality's environmental unit launched an investigation and the police were notified. Subsequent lab results released by the municipality confirmed that the laundry company was the source of toxic effluent. The report said the effluent passed into the stormwater drain system and Amcor Dam.

The company was interdicted from disposing further effluent and contaminants into the stormwater drainage system and the municipal sewer system.

Cassim maintained that he was innocent. He said the lab results had beentampered with, and was adamant that the chemicals he used were not harmful.

Following the announcement that the interdict was withdrawn, Cassim said he was targeted during the local government elections.

“Dirty politics was at play. It was used to distract me and try to cripple me financially so that they could slow the momentum of our campaigning. After we submitted our affidavit, with scientific proof that my company was not responsible for the pollution, the case was withdrawn. My facilities work within the by-laws and always did.”

He said he was now focussed on recuperating his losses.

“During this saga, around 60 employees had to be retrenched. By the grace of God, we will be back to normal in the next six months and these employees can be re-employed.”

Musa Kubheka, the provincial chairperson of Action SA KZN, said they had noted the allegations and instituted their own investigation.

"The findings from an independent institution were presented to the public (in Newcastle). It illustrated that there was no conclusive evidence to support the claim that Cassim’s laundry business had contaminated the water source in Newcastle as it was alleged by the Municipality and uThukela Water.”

The Newcastle Municipality declined to confirm that the interdict was withdrawn.

Mlungisi Khumalo, municipal spokesperson, said: “We can’t comment since the matter is