OWN CORRESPONDENT, Durban | Tuesday
THE government has decided to “bite the bullet” by allowing a chemical plant which was closed two weeks ago after its third poisonous gas leak this year to resume business.
Deputy Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi said the Sasol-Polymer Plant at Umbogintwini, south of Durban, had satisfied the government that the company had taken adequate steps to prevent further occurrences.
The decision came after talks between representatives of Sasol, the local community, the departments of labour and water affairs and trade union representatives.
Mabudafhasi said the government had been forced to to decide whether to close the plant forever or open it subject to certain conditions.
The chlorine gas leak on September 14 was the third such leak this year and occurred barely three weeks after the plant received a clean bill of health from government following its closure due to a major gas leak in May this year.
The May gas leak resulted in more than 200 people from surrounding communities receiving medical treatment. Over a hundred of them were pupils and teachers from the nearby Strelitzia secondary school.
The plant reopened on August 21, but on September 14 there was another leak. 27 people were affected, five of them pupils from the same school.
Mabudafhasi stressed that a strong element of community participation was required in monitoring the operation of the plant.
Recent news reports claimed that factories in the area were pumping lethal cocktails into the air, and this had resulted in a 24 percent higher incidence of cancer and respiratory illnesses among children living close to factories.