Anne Eveleth
Thirteen people, including two children, were rushed to hospital this week after inhaling petrol fumes following a pipeline leak in the Durban South Industrial Basin.
Residents of Merebank complained on Monday of strong odours from an underground pipeline connected to the South African Petroleum Refineries of Shell and British Petroleum (Sapref) in their neighbourhood. By Monday night, the odour was reported to be “almost choking”. The victims were treated at the RK Khan hospital and one woman was hospitalised. Her condition was described as stable.
Sapref agreed to pay for the hospital expenses.
Pollution problems in the basin were the subject of an environment ministry workshop earlier this year after residents — including the Merebank Ratepayers’ Association (MRA) — staged a protest outside Engen’s refineries during a visit by President Nelson Mandela.]
Community-based organisations told the workshop their communities were “islands surrounded by a sea of polluting industries”.
The MRA has called for a commission of inquiry into the