MEDIA RELEASE - 16 MARCH
2007 - Environmental protection received
a boost yesterday, when Environmental Management
Inspectors, (popularly referred to as ‘Green
Scorpions’) embarked on a nationwide drive
to clamp down on environmental offenders.
The national enforcement drive has been
described by Ms Joanne Yawitch, Deputy Director
- General for Environmental Quality &
Protection at the National Department of
Environmental Affairs & Tourism, as
a huge success and a victory for environmental
protection. “The countrywide action has
definitely contributed to the overall objective
of highlighting the critical issue of environmental
crimes and raising awareness around the
role of community participation in protecting
and sustaining the environment for future
generations,” said Yawitch.
The first in a series of planned Enforcement
Days saw inspectors across the country execute
scheduled enforcement activities ranging
from site inspections in determining compliance
levels, to disseminating information to
the public in an effort to increase environmental
enforcement awareness.
Launch of compliance campaign in the chemical
industry
Environmental Management Inspectors EMIs)
from the national Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism and the KZN Department
of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs,
together with officials from the Department
of Water Affairs and Forestry and Environmental
Health Officers from the uMhlatuze Municipality,
launched a compliance campaign in the chemical
industry by conducting the first joint environmental
compliance inspection at Foskor’s chemical
plant in Richards Bay.
The compliance inspection at Foskor followed
the first joint compliance inspection in
the ferro-alloy industry at Assmang’s Cato
Ridge Plant on 26 February 2007.
KZN MEC, ME Mthimkulu opened the inspection
at Foskor, where officials were met with
a cooperative attitude by Foskor management.
Findings of the inspection at Foskor will
only be available after completion of the
inspection on Friday, 16 March 2007 and
a comprehensive assessment of the plant’s
status of compliance with all environmental
legislation and permits. Foskor’s Richards
Bay plant has been the scene of a number
of emergency incidents over the past five
years.
Abattoirs in the Northern Cape in gross
non-compliance
On the same day, Environmental Management
Inspectors from the Northern Cape Department
of Environment and Tourism conducted surprise
inspections at six abattoirs in Olifantshoek,
Kathu and Kuruman.
None of the five abattoirs had the requisite
environmental authorisations, and only one
of the five abattoirs had acceptable waste
disposal systems in place. One abattoir
had already been served with a notice, but
had failed to comply with the notice.
At five of the abattoirs, liquid abattoir
waste was kept in septic tanks which were
overflowing into the veld. Solid waste like
off-cuts were found dumped in trenches,
where the waste is either burnt using tyres,
or left to rot. At some of the sites, full
trenches were simply covered up and another
trench dug for waste disposal.
At one of the abattoirs, the manager tried
to chase the EMIs away.
The Northern Cape Department of Environment
and Tourism is considering appropriate enforcement
action against the abattoirs. The maximum
penalty for the illegal disposal of waste
is 10 years’ imprisonment or a fine of R200
000, or both.
Boxes of medical waste left outside in
the rain
Shocking scenes also awaited EMIs from
the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation
and Environment (GDACE) at the Aid Safe
hazardous waste facility on the East Rand.
EMIs had gone to the site on Thursday morning
to serve a compliance notice, after an investigation
had revealed that Aid Safe had failed to
comply with the conditions of their Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) Record of Decision
issued by GDACE.
EMIs found boxes of medical waste disintegrating
after standing outside in the rain overnight.
The incinerator on site had not been operational
for at least a week due to malfunction,
which meant that stored waste had piled
up. No manager was on site. These conditions
are in gross non-compliance of the strict
requirements set by GDACE for the facility.
The maximum penalty for non-compliance
with the conditions of an EIA authorisation
is 10 years’ imprisonment, a R5 million
fine, or both. Non-compliance with a compliance
notice is also a criminal offence in terms
of the National Environmental Management
Act, 1998.
Illegal fishing, fish processing and slipways
EMIs from the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism’s Marine and Coastal
Management teamed up with Table Mountain
National Park EMIs to conduct vessel inspections
at slipways on the peninsula for illegal
catches, particularly illegal crayfish.
During these operations one person was arrested
for the illegal possession of abalone.
Raising awareness regarding the detrimental
impact of illegal fishing with nets in the
Sabie River, which forms the southwestern
border of the Kruger National Park, was
the focus of eight SANParks EMIs based in
the Kruger National Park. Inspectors located
community members selling fish from the
river and provided them with information
on the ecological impact of illegal net
fishing inside the Kruger National Park.
Developer of illegal resort on a Nelspruit
River charged
On Thursday afternoon, EMIs from the Mpumalanga
Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs
(MDALA) set out to confront the developer
of an illegal resort on the Gladdespruit
River in Nelspruit. The developer had dumped
large amounts of building rubble on the
river bank, and several trees had been chopped
down. The developer had not applied for
an Environmental Impact Assessment authorisation.
Conducting such activities without an EIA
authorisation from MDALA is a criminal offence.
EMIs therefore opened a criminal investigation
with the local SAPS.
The maximum penalty for conducting listed
activities without an EIA authorisation
is 10 years imprisonment or a R5 million
fine, or both.
Environmental Management Inspectorate
The Environmental Management Inspectorate
is a network of environmental enforcement
officials from different government departments
(national, provincial and municipal). EMIs
monitor compliance with and enforce the
specific environmental legislation they
have been mandated to enforce in their designations
by the Minister or relevant MEC.
Currently approximately 890 EMIs have either
been designated or are awaiting designation
countrywide and will provide South Africa
with the largest environmental police force
in the history of South Africa’s conservation
and environmental protection efforts. (Additional
information, click here http://www.deat.gov.za/NewsMedia/MedStat/2007Mar15_1/EMI%20Brochure.doc)
Members of the public and stakeholders
are urged to report environmental transgressions
to the 24 hour Environmental Crimes and
Incident Hotline on 0800 205 005.
National Department of Environmental Affairs
& Tourism
Northern Cape Department of Environment
& Tourism
Table Mountain National Park
Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation
and Environment
Kruger National park and Mpumalanga Tourism
& Parks Agency
Western Cape Department of Environment and
Development Planning
Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture and
Land Affairs
+ More
‘Green Scorpions’ Embark On Countrywide
Environmental Enforcement Drive
15 March 2007 - Media Statement - Department
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism - THURSDAY,
15 MARCH 2007: South Africa’s highly specialised
environmental police force, Environmental
Management Inspectors, popularly referred
to as the “Green Scorpions”, will be out
in full force on Thursday, 15 March 2007,
as they embark on a countrywide environmental
enforcement drive to crack down on environmental
offenders in the continual quest for environmental
protection.
The first in a series of planned Quarterly
Enforcement Days will see inspectors across
the country execute scheduled enforcement
activities ranging from conducting site
inspections in determining compliance levels,
to disseminating information to the public
in an effort to increase environmental enforcement
awareness.
A joint initiative between the national
Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism and the KZN Department of Agriculture
and Environmental Affairs will see Environmental
Management Inspectors conducting a compliance
inspection at the Foskor chemical plant
in Richards Bay. Inspectors will undertake
a full compliance audit at the Foskor plant
in relation to environmental permits and
legislation. KZN MEC ME Mthimkhulu, together
with a team of both national and provincial
‘Green Scorpions,’ specialising in compliance
monitoring, enforcement, chemical and hazardous
waste, air quality, pollution and waste
as well as Environmental Impact Assessments
(EIAs) will visit the site.
The disposal of waste will be the focal
point of action as Environmental Management
Inspectors from the Northern Cape Department
of Environment and Tourism descend on abattoirs
in the Kgalagadi District, in and near Kuruman.
Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) inspectors
intend to carry out enforcement in relation
to illegal slipways, off road vehicles and
unregistered launching sites in the Western
Cape. The Western Cape Department of Environment
and Development Planning will undertake
a compliance drive in the Paarl and Stellenbosch
areas.
A compliance notice will be served on Aid
Safe hazardous waste facility on the East
Rand in Gauteng by Environmental Management
Inspectors from the Gauteng Department of
Agriculture, Conservation and Environment
(GDACE), for contravening the conditions
of their Environmental Impact Assessment
Record of Decision.
Table Mountain National Park Environmental
Management Inspectors will be monitoring
the Table Mountain National Park coastline
for criminal activity through boat patrols
and vessel checking.
Environmental Management Inspectors from
Kruger National Park and Mpumalanga Tourism
and Parks Agency will jointly be monitoring
the Sabie River for illegal fishing. An
education and awareness campaign is part
of the day’s line-up, as inspectors engage
with fishermen on the topic of illegal fishing
in an effort to address this serious challenge
affecting the Sabie River.
The nationwide environmental enforcement
drive on Thursday, 15 March 2007 seeks to
raise awareness levels around environmental
crimes while educating the public on the
critical role of community participation
in protecting and sustaining the environment
for future generations.
The Environmental Management Inspectorate
is a network of environmental enforcement
officials from different government departments
(national, provincial and municipal). EMIs
monitor compliance with and enforce the
specific environmental legislation they
have been mandated to enforce in their designations
by the Minister or relevant MEC.
Currently approximately 890 EMIs have either
been designated or are awaiting designation
countrywide and will provide South Africa
with the largest environmental police force
in the history of South Africa’s conservation
and environmental protection efforts. (Click
on this link for additional information)
Members of the public and stakeholders
are urged to report environmental transgressions
to the 24 hour Environmental Crimes and
Incident Hotline on 0800 205 005.
