Question NW1424 to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
02 June 2021 - NW1424
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
(a) Whether his department has been informed that Centec College, Springfield Campus, in KwaZulu-Natal is situated next to an unmanaged landfill site that is regularly set on fire sending toxic smoke billowing into classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic; if not, how will his department urgently address the issue; if so, (b) what is the plan of his department in order to protect the students from respiratory illnesses caused by toxic fumes from the landfill site?
Reply:
(a) The Department was not informed that the Thekwini TVET College, Springfield Campus is experiencing issues with the landfill site adjacent to the campus. The matter has been escalated to an intergovernmental process that will involve the Municipality and Provincial COGTA coordinated by the Office of the Minister.
(b) As the matter has now been brought to the attention of the Department, an urgent intervention is underway to deter the illegal dumping on and around the site, which will in turn deter the burning of refuse by the illegal persons accessing the site.