Oil residue has been spotted on a section of beach between the Réunion Canal and Isipingo beach, south of Durban, the Sapref oil refinery said on Monday. This followed last week’s oil spill of five tonnes at its single buoy mooring about 2,5km from the shore.
Sapref said their environmental teams had started cleaning up the beach on Monday afternoon and would complete the job on Tuesday.
The company, which is a joint venture oil refinery between Shell Oil and BP Oil, said it had received reports of dead fish in the Isipingo Lagoon situated further south along the beach.
However, no oil was found in the lagoon during an inspection but local authorities had taken samples and had tested the oxygen level of the water.
Spokesperson Lora Rossler said the company would continue its inspection of the beaches over the next few days.
Sapref had already given the Department of Environmental Affairs an interim report following the oil leak, and was expected to hand over a comprehensive report in two weeks time. – Sapa