Gypsum plant allegedly to blame for health scares in surrounding areas

It was in 2001 when the Department of Water and Forestry issued a permit to OMV’s (Oranje Mynbou en Vervoer) gypsum processing plant. The factory is situated near Mohadin, Promosa and Thabeng (Ikageng).
Fast forward to 2016 and residents living in close proximity to the plant say their health is at risk. They claim to be suffering from itchy skin, throat irritation, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases. With these health problems, the dust pollution from the plant has also found its way into their homes, their blankets and curtains.
The representative of the residents, Victor Solane Gqekema says they have remained quiet about these unbearable conditions for a very long time but have now decided to do something about it.
‘We are busy drawing up a petition and will gather statistics of the number of people whose lives have been shortened by this demon,’ he said. ‘Living near this factory is hazardous to our health. Our life comes first, please take care of us,’ he pleaded.
He alleged that the company has failed to get involved in the community as part of its social responsibility programme. ‘The factory has hardly adopted any school in the area, even though Tshepo Primary is just a stone’s throw away from the factory. There is also no mobile clinic in the area to demonstrate the company’s concern for the affected people and neither is there regular engagement with the residents,’ he said.
Gqekema says the residents have appealed to the departments of health and environmental affairs and the NW 405 Municipality to intervene. ‘I am also inviting all the affected members to respond and establish a committee that will monitor the progress of the report that was issued to all stakeholders. Every government is there to protect the basic needs of its communities like health and education,’ he said.

The department of health will investigate
In the light of Gqekema’s allegations, the NW provincial health department has undertaken to investigate the health profile of the community. This is according to the spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane. ‘Our environmental health directorate and the management of Dr Kenneth Kaunda District have been requested to follow up and ascertain whether it is, indeed, the case. It is important to note, however, that environmental health falls within the scope of the municipality, which will have to take the necessary steps in terms of the law, if necessary,” he said.

The municipality has conducted several inspections
The municipal spokesperson, Willie Maphosa, confirmed that the former Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (now the Department of Water and Sanitation) issued a permit for the OMV gypsum processing plant in 2001.
He added that the municipality had also received similar complaints and had conducted several inspections. ‘Our challenge is that we cannot enforce the permit conditions as it is not within our mandate. We have, therefore, engaged the Department of Water and Sanitation to intervene.’
He says, however, that the municipality has asked the company to provide constant dust suppression to reduce the air pollution in the area.
‘Furthermore, we are currently drafting the air quality bylaws. Once they have been approved, we will be able to address such related issues.
‘Under the national dust regulations, we have asked the company for their dust monitoring reports to check whether the levels exceed the prescribed limits. We are still waiting for the documents.
‘With regard to community engagement, only the Department of Water and Sanitation can confirm whether or not this took place as it was this department that was responsible for that process.
‘Regarding the social programmes, OMV will be able to say which programmes they are running and whether they conduct any awareness programmes on the health effects of the plant,’ he concluded.
*Contact Victor Solane Gqekema at 079 611 0428 or email gqekemav@gmail.com.

OMV response: No known negative effects of gypsum -operations manager