Hales said, “I usually see the truck in the mornings at the very spot where another truck was reported to have contaminated the wetland. I have seen this truck a couple of times.”
In the picture that Hales sent, the truck had the name Maralco Plant Services, a plant hire company, and two contact numbers.
Mariaan Maritz of Maralco Plant Services said that she did not know what the truck was doing at the wetland. “Maralco only hire out trucks, we do not know what the contractor was doing at the wetland.”
The truck was hired by Monene Civils on the day in question. Maritz added, “A lot of people have been calling us to complain that our trucks are seen dumping at wetlands. People are suspicious of any activity at the wetland ever since that Lever Road wetlands dumping story came out in the Midrand Reporter.”
Monene Civils spokesperson Marie Plotz denied allegations that their staff may have been dumping on the wetland. Plotz said, “We are currently working on Lever Road, widening the road and doing storm water drains. If anyone is dumping at the wetlands, it is not our company.”
Site manager for Monene Civils, Stephan Theron said, “On the day the picture was taken I was at the wetland looking for water for construction work on Lever Road. I met two people there who were inspecting the wetland. They told me to get water upstream near Samrand. I left the wetland without water. Monene Civils gets water from a stormdrain near a school in Noordwyk for construction work.”
Wetlands in Crisis chairperson Paul Fairall commented, “Without authorisation, anyone who takes water from a wetland is committing a crime.”
In October Midrand Reporter reported on a motorist who apprehended two men who dumped an unknown substance onto the Lever Road wetland. Enviromental health specialists are still investigating the issue.
If anyone has proof that dumping is occurring at the wetland, please let us know.
