Siyabonga Sesant
Workers and residents living and working in and around the Markman industrial area in Nelson Mandela Bay are subjected to a massive health hazard on a daily basis.
That’s according to the findings of an official dust fallout survey conducted by the municipality during the last quarter of 2021.
Elaborating on the findings, the DA’s health spokesperson in Nelson Mandela Bay, Annette Lovemore, who visited the area on Monday, said they had finally received the survey results.
“They certainly show that the dust levels – dust, not manganese – in the Markman industrial area, are possibly two to three times the level at which you could consider it in any way safe to breathe.
“And they are certainly above the level where you should immediately alert authorities," Lovemore stressed.
On Monday, Lovemore was joined by DA MPs Andrew Whitfield and James Lorimer, as well as DA Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral candidate, Retief Odendaal.
They said if people are exposed to uncovered manganese over a long period of time, it could cause severe health complications.
She said among other reasons, the crumbling road infrastructure and public health and safety issues caused by manganese dust, there’s been growing tension between local businesses, residents, and manganese operators.
A business owner in the area, Chris Collett, said he’s seen no municipal officials in Markman in at least two-and-a-half years and said that the area is becoming an unattractive place to do business.
“Where’s the municipality? Surely someone should come and protect the municipality’s interests and say, ‘hey, who’s going to fix this,” Collett lamented.
“We will write to the city manager and will put her on terms to visit the Markman industrial area within the next 21 days and provide an action plan to ensure compliance,” said Lovemore.
