Stench at Empangeni Rail

BUSINESS owners in and around Empangeni Rail are barely able to stomach the stench on certain days emanating from the open ground behind Empangeni Abattoir. Reports from concerned business owners and employees said the abattoir is using the ground behind its building to empty the contents of animals stomachs.

A witness, who wants to remain anonymous, explained the situation.

‘Last week, I could barely handle the smell so I went outside to investigate. Once outside, I saw employees from the abattoir dumping a greenish bloody mess onto the ground.’

The eyewitness got closer and questioned the employees who were dumping the waste.

‘I asked them what they were doing and if they thought it was the correct method of disposing of the waste and their reply was that they knew they were not supposed to be doing it, but their boss had told them to.’

While the dumping does not happen everyday, it does seem to be a regular occurrence when slaughtering takes place,’ he added.

City of uMhlatuze Chief Communications Officer, Vukile Mathabela, explained the Bylaws relating to Public Health and Environmental Health.

‘A person may not place or deposit any waste or material in any public place or place not intended for such purpose, unless such waste is placed in approved receptacles or facilities intended for such purpose.

‘A person may not place any carcass or any decomposable or offensive material which is his property or under his control, on his premises so as to cause any nuisance.’

Mathabela added that it, therefore, stands to reason in terms of all other relevant acts such as the Waste Act and the Meat Safety Act that all the abattoir waste has to be dumped at an approved landfill site.

Any contravention will result in a fine being issued to those guilty and any mess created may be cleared by Council and the culprit will be charged for all cost incurred.