A non-government official used official government forms to authorise importation of toxic waste to the country, writes Eddie Koch
DEPUTY Environment Minister Bantu Holomisa this week announced an independent commission will investigate the toxic waste scandal that has rocked his ministry — amid new evidence that officials from the Department of Environment Affairs were this year negotiating to bring four barge loads of lethal cobalt waste from Russia to South Africa.
The inquiry will focus on a decision by Colin Cameron, director general of the department, to allow a private consultant to issue government permits for 500 tons of cupric arsenate to be imported from Finland.
The ship was turned back last week after the green group Earthlife Africa released documents to show that a non-government official, Daan Malan, had used official government letterheads to authorise importation of the cargo for treatment in South Africa — even though the government has stated it will not allow toxic waste from overseas into the country.
Holomisa said “there was cause for concern” about the ethics and competence of Malan’s behaviour, especially because it appears the consultant failed to carry out procedures as required by the Basel Convention for the movement of toxic material from Europe to South Africa.
Earthlife Africa has called for the axing of Cameron over the debacle. The green group’s representative Chris Albertyn says Malan was given the power to devise policy and issue permits for toxic waste imports even though he heads the South African Chamber of Business’ environment committee — which has gone on record in favour of importing hazardous materials for recycling in South Africa.
Albertyn said it was both illegal and unethical for the director general to appoint a private individual to carry out sensitive government work and says there is a clear conflict of interests between Malan’s role as a lobbyist for big business and a consultant for the Government. Earthlife is demanding that the new inquiry investigate the possibility of collusion around the issuing of toxic import permits.
On Thursday Holomisa overturned plans by Cameron to hold an in-house inquiry into the matter and it appears he will appoint three people, including top scientists, to probe Malan’s conduct. “Any pending deals on toxic waste that Malan has been negotiating — in addition to the shipment from Norway — will also be investigated,” said Holomisa.
This week Earthlife released documents that show JAD Metal Concentrates, the East Rand firm that was planning to recycle Finland’s cargo of cupric arsenate, had entered into advanced talks with Malan to import four shiploads of heavily contaminated cobalt cement that had been dumped by a French company in Russia.
The documents — including faxed correspondence between JAD director Doug Gosling and Malan — show that serious consideration was being given to bringing the toxic shipment through Durban into South Africa. Gosling’s fax to Malan discusses details about how to insure the shipment and states: “Samples have been tested. There will be no harmful side effects from the treatment of this material.”
Documents in the M&G’s possession show that the cargo is, in fact, classified as dangerously toxic and can cause vision impairment, “madness”, and damage to the central nervous system.
Gosling said the shipment contained some 15 tons of talium, one of the most toxic substances known, and that it was not brought into the country for this reason. Malan refused to say why he had entered into negotiations about importing this waste saying only: “I cannot recall any correspondence about this matter”.
Evidence is also emerging that the Australian government has been lobbying officials in South Africa’s foreign affairs and evironment departments to support Australia’s bid to relax an international ban imposed in terms of the Basel Convention on the movement of waste from industrialised to non- industrialised countries.
A confidential memo from Australian officials shows that a team from that country held talks with three counterparts in South Africa’s foreign affairs, environment and trade and industry departments about the Basel Convention. “We raised general issues in relation to the Basel Convention, in particular the ban decision,” says the memorandum.
The Australian Financial Review reported this month that the Australian government is preparing to reverse its adherence to the Basel ban on movement of waste from north to south.