Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica on Friday promised that action would be taken in an unfolding medical waste scandal.
“The Department of Environmental Affairs views these illegal activities in a very serious light and the green scorpions will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that those found transgressing the environmental laws will face the full might of the law,” she said in a statement.
“The department cannot condone the deliberate disregard of strict laws aimed at ensuring that waste is correctly managed, especially when this disregard places our communities and environment at risk,” Minister Sonjica said.
On Friday, investigators raided a brick works in Welkom where they discovered 300 tons of medical waste which had been disposed of illegally.
On Wednesday, two illegal dumps were found on in a farm 20km outside Welkom and at the town’s showground’s.
Minister Sonjica said special ‘green courts’ were needed to handle environmental perpetrators.
In her statement, she thanked the journalists whose work led to the revelations. “The media play a significant role in conveying information to the public and raising awareness about such important issues,” she said.
Source: www.sapa.org.za; 20091204
Did you find this information helpful? If you did, consider donating.