Two years of black smoke in Birch Acres
'My wife now has asthma, which she never had'
Thick black smoke has been appearing in a residential area in Birch Acres almost every day for the past two years.
According to resident Marius Lombard (60), who has lived in the area for 34 years, the pitch-black clouds seem to be coming from an old dumping site in Proton Street.
Upon investigation in this industrial section, which is only a few kilometres away from the homes, Express was met with locked gates. The source of the smoke remained unidentified.
Due to the colour of the smoke, Lombard estimated that old tyres, plastic, cans and oil was being burnt.
“Sometimes, we hear things exploding as they burn,” he said.
Friday morning it was plastic, which he could smell heavily in the air. To Lombard, the sight and smell of the smoke is not even the worst part.
“Sometimes the wind blows the smoke toward the houses and during winter it’s the worst. My wife now has asthma, which she never had. We have to buy medicine for our children for illnesses they never got.”
He believes this looming cloud of smoke is the cause.
According to Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe, the city will monitor the situation.
“The matter has also been referred to the metro police to assist [finding the source of the smoke].”
Gadebe encouraged residents to report such instances through the municipal call centre on 086 054 3000. Residents who have any information are also prompted to come forward.
