Coal dust is choking streets, businesses, homes and lungs in Richards Bay, while coal trucks continue to cause road damage and traffic snarls.

Monday morning was particularly bad, especially after weekend rain had turned the dust into slimy black sludge all along the John Ross highway as far as Medway Road at the port’s east gate entrance.

And matters were made worse after a report early Monday morning that 57 trucks from a single company had caused congestion on the road south of ZCBF Park.

Many other trucks blocked business entrances on Ceramic Curve all weekend, as they accessed a filling station for diesel.

Meanwhile, grime is stacking ever higher on the John Ross, between the Arboretum Robots (R619) and Medway Road, and it gets worse by the day.

Apart from the cost to the city in terms of damaged infrastructure, renewed complaints about respiratory problems are sure to be aired on social media.

The howling wind blows the dust directly from the main source – the Port of Richards Bay – into the most vulnerable areas: Arboretum, Veldenvlei, Alton and the CBD.

After a period of relative relief, the problem is back to past, totally unacceptable levels.

One concerned resident called for the City of uMhlathuze to put pressure on the port for the ‘terrible state of the road and surroundings from the Croc Rock [Medway Road] intersection to the Alusaf robot’.

“The port should be mandated to have every coal truck hosed down before leaving the port,” said the resident.

“It is totally unacceptable that they are allowed to pollute the environment and the citizens are left with the consequences.

“The entire road surface, every blade of grass and every leaf is coated in pitch black coal. “What about the wildlife. Has anyone seen the eagles lately?”

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