| November 01, 2008 |
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 Petition against harbour dumps as fury grows Brian Hayward WEEKEND POST REPORTER haywardb@avusa.co.za THE growing battle over the future of the manganese ore dumps and tank farm at the Port Elizabeth harbour intensified yesterday with 10000 petitions for them to be moved being distributed to city residents. The pressure to move the dumps, which were exposed as toxic in a shock study in March, has been met with staunch resistance by owner and operator Transnet. The parastatal insists it is too expensive to move the dumps and tank farm to Coega. According to DA MP Eddie Trent, who is driving the fight to move the “toxic facility”, specialists had been enlisted to examine residents who had suffered because of the dumps. Trent, who officially launched the petition at a public meeting on Wednesday night, said more than 2000 responses had already been received. The petition, which was posted online earlier this month, is addressed to city
mayor Nondumiso Maphazi, Public Enterprises Minister Brigitte Mabandla, Health
Minister Barbara Hogan and Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus
van Schalkwyk. “There is enormous outrage over the dumps,” said Trent. “It‘s not just health, but also the fact the harbour and environment are being polluted. There is seepage going into the sea.” Trent said public pressure on the government to move the facility was the only way, as Transnet had dug its heels in over the issue and Van Schalkwyk refused to reply to questions posed to him. “I put a question to Van Schalkwyk six weeks ago as to whether or not there is any monitoring (of the dumps), but to date he has not answered me. “The National Ports Act says it must look at biophysical, social and economic issues in an integrated way, yet they (Transnet) choose profit above people.” Included in the petition is a demand that the eyesores be moved immediately. But Transnet said they had no plans for the relocation. “We are not aware of any studies that have proven that our manganese operations are toxic to residents and are therefore unable to comment on speculation,” said spokesman John Dludlu. Readers who would like to submit their online petition, go to: http://www.petitiononline.com/manganes/petition.html
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Name changes need more time THE latest flurry of discussion on name changes in the Eastern Cape comes at a bad time. Eighteen months before the start of the 2010 World Cup, the Eastern Cape Geographic Names Committee has announced that the names of both Port Elizabeth and East London – as well as their respective airports – will change within the next six months. While we recognise the importance of having names that reflect the culture, history and heritage of our province, the latest rush to push the changes through before 2010 seems ill-considered and badly planned.... 
Stone the crows, he clocked us! Ivor Markman IF YOU were one of the speeding motorists caught off-guard by the "traffic cop" and his gatsometer radar gun as you entered Bedford from the Adelaide direction over the past weekend, don‘t expect a ticket.... 
Brazilians ‘just won‘t allow‘ another Bay United victory Chumani Bambani WEEKEND POST REPORTER BAY United is hungry for a second win in the Absa Premiership when they face Mamelodi Sundowns in Atteridgeville‘s Super Stadium.... 
Short-changed finally get the big stick Sipho Masondo BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT THE vast array of charlatans who have had a field day, swindling the South African consumer for years on end, are living on borrowed time.... 
Music with a mission Luyolo Mkentane A PORT Elizabeth hip-hop outfit from the Joe Slovo informal settlement have their hearts set on preaching tolerance and life skills through their music.... |
