Winess - 21 September 2006

PMB agrees on anti-pollution strategy

By Sandile waka-Zamisa

Pietermaritzburg community members will take action to put pressure on the municipality and the provincial government to enforce environmental laws and bylaws.

This resolution was made at a community meeting held in the city on Wednesday night. The meeting, which was co-ordinated by groundWork, an environmental NGO, concluded that pressure should be exerted on all government structures to enforce available laws to prevent pollution.

Two committees were formed at the meeting to “maintain the momentum” and fight pollution in the city. A schools’ committee was selected to mobilise and educate pupils at schools about environment issues. A general committee will oversee the overall administration and ensure that the campaign is sustainable and effective.

Community members representing different community structures gathered yesterday evening to find ways of dealing with pollution in Pietermaritzburg. Representatives from Eastwood, Edendale, Plessislaer, Wembley, Prestbury, Hilton and other townships and suburbs, raised similar concerns about the issue.

While industries were seen as the culprits, delegates pointed out that the municipality does not enforce the available bylaws to prevent factories from polluting the city. The existing Air Quality Forum was lambasted for failing to stop air pollution in the city, described by one member as “a toothless duck”.

groundWork director Bobby Peek concurred that the forum has not produced any positive results in fighting pollution. He said it is general knowledge that industries are the main polluters and said the municipality has done nothing to stop the culprits.

“The city knows where the problem lies but nothing is being done,” said Peek.

Peek said that the community is to lobby the Msunduzi mayor, the uMgungundlovu district mayor, the MEC for Environmental affairs and the premier on the issue. “Petitions, letters, SMSs and marches will be used to put as much pressure on authorities to address the issue of pollution,” he said. Community members were encouraged to send an SMS to the mayor whenever there is a foul smell in their area. “We will embark on an ‘SMS mayor campaign’. She should be prepared that we are going to send constant SMSs,” he said. groundWork air quality campaign manager Siziwe Khanyile said that community members will be educated on environment issues to make sure that people understand environmental issues. “The committees will mobilise and educate people on the issue in order to spread the message,” she said.

sandilez@witness.co.za

Published: 21 September 2006 in the Witness