Friday, 02 February 2007
South Durban Community Environmental Alliance Press Release
A Shell Pipeline Damage and Leak on Tara Road, Wentworth
At 08h30 today, frantic residents of Wentworth and Merebank
called the SDCEA offices concerned, after witnessing this
huge plume of petrol shooting into the atmosphere. They jammed
the SDCEA telephone lines informing us of what is g oing
on and urging us to rush to the scene.
Mothers were worried about the children on the Fenceline
of the Engen Refinery and the pipelines that run adjacent
to the residential area.
The pipeline that was gushing liquid into the atmosphere
and spraying everyone was a petrol line.
As per SAPREF’s Communications Manager, Margaret Rowe’s
request for SDCEA & groundWork to formally address an
urgent demand to Shell.
It is unacceptable that Shell is replacing their pipelines
while operating their old pipelines which are in the same
vicinity. Considering the fact that this is a major hazardous
installation, we demand that the flow of product through these
pipelines be halted immediately and all work on the replacement
of the pipeline must stop until the eThekwini Municipality,
Shell, SDCEA and groundWork have met to discuss the replacement
process and to agree upon protocols for the replacement of
the pipelines in south Durban.
We would appreciate a response by the closure of work today.
For further comment call: Desmond D’Sa 0839826939
|
