Chrome washing continues in Chartwell

A group of concerned community members in Chartwell said they have escalated the matter regarding chrome washing company DG Steel to the Department of Water and Sanitation after the company allegedly failed to meet a due date to stop its operation in August this year.

The company has been accused by the Chartwell community of illegally operating in an agricultural area without the approval of the Department of Water and Sanitation.

The Fourways Review reported on these concerns in Locals dislike operation [Week ending 11 September].

The company had told Fourways Review in August that it had taken a decision to stop its operation in the area following a number of objections from the community. The company had also promised to start a process of land rehabilitation in the area at the beginning of September this year.

DG Steel legal advisor Sandesh Naidoo said at the time, “The company has taken a decision to leave the area by the end of this month [August] and start the process of land rehabilitation. We don’t want to operate in a place if the community is not happy with what we are doing.”

One of the concerned community members, Fezel Laher claimed the company had not stopped its operations in the area.

“We have written a letter to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to intervene and do something with this company that has [allegedly] no regards for water environment. The department said it was working on the matter and it has instituted an investigation into the matter,” Laher said.

In its response to the issues raised in the letter by the Chartwell community, the department said the findings of the investigation revealed that there were possible unlawful water use practices underway at the implicated property.

“DWS issued a notice of intention to issue a directive to the property owner to address the issue of suspected illegal water use taking place on-site. This administrative enforcement action will afford the suspected illegal water user an opportunity to make representation to the findings of Promotion of Administrative Act,” said the department in a statement.

In response, Naidoo said the company had applied for a temporary certificate to operate on the property and declined to comment on the letter sent by the community to the department, saying the matter was dealt with accordingly with the department.

Laher said he was hopeful that a final investigation would find in the community’s favour to halt the company’s operation in the area.