Asbestos pollution threatens residents’ health in SA’s Mogale municipality, DA says

DA provincial legislator Janho Engelbrecht said cases of pulmonary fibrosis had been diagnosed as a result of being in close proximity to an old mine in the municipality, in Gauteng province.

JOHANNESBURG, November 5 (ANA) – Asbestos pollution in South Africa’s Mogale City municipality is threatening the health of residents, the Democratic Alliance party said on Thursday.

In a statement, DA provincial legislator Janho Engelbrecht said cases of pulmonary fibrosis had been diagnosed as a result of being in close proximity to an old mine in the municipality in Gauteng province.

“The DA is … in possession of lab tests which were conducted between 16 and 19 November 2018, which indicates that there is asbestos pollution in the area,” Engelbrecht said.

“This has now been made worse by a proposed new development in the area, which will exacerbate the situation even further.”

An official government notice published on July 15 said the development would comprise residential units, office space a place of public worship, and amusement area and shops.

Those objecting to the development had until August 12 to lodge this.

Engelbrecht did not indicate whether the DA had done so, but said the party was calling on the Gauteng department of health and the department of environmental affairs to urgently conduct a thorough investigation and intervene to ensure that the area was rehabilitated.

“It is unacceptable that our people’s health and lives are being put in danger because of the asbestos pollution in the area,” he said.

“People residing in the immediate area of the old mine should be evacuated immediately until the rehabilitation has been completed.”

– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa