Sappi Told to end Beach Pollution. (22 October, 1996)

Cape Town - Kader Asmal, Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, has given Sappi's Saiccor mill six months to come up with a long-term plan to eradicate pollution on KwaZulu-Natal's beaches by its Umkomaas mill. Ater a meeting with top management yesterday, Asmal said the company had agreed to build a ligno-sulphate plant costing between R300-million and R500-million to reduce ligno-sulphate emissions by between 35 and 40 percent.

The emissions cause the discolouration of water and a thick foam on the beaches 20 km on either side of the mill, which is at the mouth of the Umkomaas River: Local communities have been campaigning for several years to stop the pollution. Asmal said that another meeting would be held with Sappi on November 19 to consider a report by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Asmal said he was 'considering extending their permit, which expires on November 3, until June 21 because by that time there should be other options available.'

He said the planned plant would eventually reduce pollution by about 40 percent, but he wished to have it reduced by 70 percent by 2000. Other options in reducing pollution include extending the pipeline out to sea to 7,5 km from the present 3 km. Permits are usually issued for periods of five years or more. Asmal said the fact that he was considering granting only a six-month permit indicated he was serious about getting rid of the pollutin by the year 2000.

Two union representatives who were present, Martin Mahlaba and Christopher Wilson, said they were happy with the outcome of the meeting. Wilson said the new ligno-sulphate plant would employ 200 people full time once it was commissioned. Unions have been backing anti-pollution campaigners in the issue.

Glen Jansen, the representative of the South Coast Marine Pipeline Forum, which has been campaigning against the pollution, said the solution offered by Sappi was 'too little too late'. He urged trade unions to apply pressure for further pollution control measures. If a satisfactory solution could not be found by June, the forum would consider litigation against Sappi, he said. The forum was also pushing for a full environmental impact assessment of the area. By Christo Volschenk and Reuter. Courtesy of the Pretoria News.