Municipality wins one for residents
For residents of the Palmiet-fontein small holdings just outside Polokwane, a court order granted to the Polokwane Municipality against a dog food factory operating illegally from Plot 63, came as a welcome relief.
POLOKWANE – For residents of the Palmiet-fontein small holdings just outside Polokwane, a court order granted to the Polokwane Municipality against a dog food factory ope-rating illegally from Plot 63, came as a welcome relief.
The municipality was approached by residents of the area complaining about a bad smell and fears of water pollution after Chinese nationals opened a dog food factory on Plot 63. Spokesperson for the community, Skillie Kruger, said since December last year residents have been writing letters of complaint to the municipality in an effort to stop the dog food factory from operating which only resulted in the apparent expansion of the business.
The matter ended in court when the manu-facturers continued to run operations despite several notices issued by the municipality to stop their production.
“We are grateful to the municipality for fighting with the residents on this matter. There are often many issues raised that never seem to get the attention needed but this was not the case now,” Kruger said.
According to Kruger, the dog food factory structures was taken down and operations stopped. The owner of the property did, however, apply to have the plot rezoned, but the community had already written to the municipality to oppose the application.
The department of environmental affairs also launched and investigation into the alleged pollution of the water table and their findings will be taken into account in the decision to have the property rezoned, said Burckels Napo, spokesperson for the department.
