Question NW2532 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs

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21 September 2018 - NW2532

Profile picture: Steenkamp, Ms J

Steenkamp, Ms J to ask the Minister of Environmental Affairs

(1)Did Recycling and Economic Development of South Africa purchase two shredders (details furnished); if so, (a) are these units located at the Anglo American Mogalakwena open-pit platinum mine site and Ferrobank and (b) who currently owns the specified machines; (2) (a) were the machines ever sold and/or leased to any private individual or company and (b) has any contract to lease/own or operate the machines ever been awarded to any individual or company; if so, what are the relevant details in each case; (3) (a) will the Waste Bureau be disposing of the two assets, (b) who operates each of the machines and (c) was any contract to supply waste tyres awarded to the operator of each of these machines; if so, (i) what is the tonnage of waste tyres allocated to each operator and (ii) who pays the owner/operator of the machine located at Implats; (4) whether she has found that the supply and operation of the shredders are imposing restrictive trade and business practices to any new entrants to the off-the-road processing, thereby compromising their ability to commercialise processing and provide employment; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

(1) (a)

Yes

(b)

The machines are owned by Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA) (in liquidation).

(2) (a)

The department has no knowledge of the machines ever being sold and/or leased to a private individual or company.

(b)

The Waste Bureau through its service providers operates these machines at Mogalakwena mine and Ferrobank.

(3) (a)

No, the machines are owned by REDISA (in liquidation) and are under the control of the liquidators.

(b)

Waste Bureau is contracted with Waste Beneficiation which is a company that was contracted previously by Redisa currently in the use of the equipment on its behalf at Mogalakwena mine, and with TMT Projects and Consultations (Pty) Ltd for the equipment at Ferrobank depot.

(c) the contract was entered with after approval by national treasury.

(i)

The contract with Mogalakwena mine is for a maximum of 10 800 tons. There is no set maximum for Ferrobank depot.

(ii)

The Waste Bureau pays operators.

(4) The operation of the shredders is not imposing any restrictive trade and business practices to new entrants. The Waste Bureau is mandated to collect post-levy Off The Road (OTR) waste tyres from wherever they are generated and divert them away from landfills. The OTR waste tyres, due to their extra-large size, require downsizing before transportation (some OTR tyres require abnormal load vehicles for transportation) and further on-processing. The current waste tyre recycling operations are not designed to handle OTR waste tyres, hence it is important to downsize in order for them to be recycled. The Waste Bureau is therefore shredding post-levy OTR waste tyres so that they can be transported and recycled. As stipulated in Waste Tyre Regulations 2017, the owners of pre-levy historical stockpiles are responsible for the abatement of these stockpiles, and private sector participants can approach and assist the owners with the abatement of these stockpiles without the involvement of the Waste Bureau.

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