Residents at the Port of Richards Bay have taken to social media to voice their protest at dust from coal mounds that are awaiting export inside Transnet’t port precinct, compounding complaints of coal dust blown off tipper trucks entering the city from the N2 highway.
A strong south-westerly wind on Monday this week is said to have caused coal dust to swirl across Richards Bay, prompting concerned residents to accuse the state-owned logistics utility of not doing enough to compact and contain coal at the terminal.
Resident community activist, Sandy Camminga, said: “I speak on behalf of the community when I say this situation simply cannot be allowed to continue.”
Apart from the central business district, suburbs that are badly affected include Arboretum, Alton and Veldenvlei.
On social media complaints about air pollution from the Richards Bay Coal Terminal are constant.
Apparently walls are blackened by coal soot and cars must be cleaned regularly.
Word has also been received of toddlers playing in areas covered by coal dust.
Health hazards from inhaling fine coal is also dominating complaints aired via all means necessary.
On May 31 the programme director of the Port of Richards Bay Master Plan, Thami Sithole, held a media conference to outline developments planned for the port.
He acknowledged that coal dust within the port precinct was a problem, but said Transnet had a plan to prevent it from becoming air borne in windy conditions.
He did not elaborate about how the parastatal intend to prevent hazardous pollution.
He also outlined a plan to reduce the number of trucks, which are part of the coal dust problem.
