Question NW354 to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Bryant, Mr D W to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Whether, in view of the Chinese bulk cargo vessel NS Qingdao that recently dumped 1 300 tons of unstable chemical cargo off the West Coast of the Republic after permission was granted by her department and the SA Marine Safety Authority and SAMSA, and noting that the vessel originally caught alight in November 2021, any consideration was given at the time of towing the vessel out of South African waters in order to avoid toxic dumping in our waters; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details; Whether the impact of the Benguela Current was taken into consideration when permission was granted for the dumping; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details; What are the coordinates of the areas where the waste was dumped; Whether her department will be monitoring the toxicity levels around the dumped site; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details?