Question NW660 to the Minister of Environmental, Forestry and Fisheries
13 September 2019 - NW660
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Environmental, Forestry and Fisheries
(a) When last did her department monitor the waste dumping sites at the (i) Macadamia Military Base, (ii) Louisville sewer plant, (iii) Tonga Hospital and (iv) Shongwe Hospital in Mpumalanga, (b) what were the results in each case and (c) on what date will her department do a follow-up monitoring on the sites; (2) Whether she will furnish Ms A M M Weber with copies of the monitoring reports?
Reply:
- Officials from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) have not conducted any monitoring at the Macadamia Military Base, Louisville sewer plant, Tonga Hospital and Shongwe Hospital in the Mpumalanga Province. These sites are not regulated in terms of the Waste Act, 2008 and as such, no waste licenses were issued by the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries. No auditing has therefore been conducted at these sites because they are not classified as waste facilities in terms of the Waste Act, 2008.
Departmental officials have consulted with compliance and enforcement officials from the following departments: National Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation (DHSWS)’s regional office in Mpumalanga, National Department of Health and the Mpumalanga Provincial Department of Agriculture, Rural Land and Environmental Affairs (MDARLEA) with a view to determine the status quo at these sites.
In accordance with the response received from DHSWS’ Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency (IUCMA), the four sites mentioned above are Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW). These WWTW were monitored recently by the agency between the period March 2019 and June 2019. Monitoring reports are available from the IUCMA.
Regards
MS B D CREECY, MP
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES