2012 is the third year in a row that the famous Redhouse River Mile will be held on the Sunday's River. For years now sailors, swimmers, rowers and other river users have been aware that they need to smear vaseline on or cover up any open sores before entering the river. I have personally seen sores on my legs take weeks to heal after sailing on the river. What is frustrating to residents and river users alike is that the outbursts of 'contamination' are unpredictable by nature and subject to … [Read more...] about Redhouse River Contamination – We Never Learn
pollution
Have Harbour, Will Pollute
On a flight towards Woody Cape yesterday, I flew over the Coega Harbour and saw the oil platform that is moored there being rinsed and washed. I wonder if they have a SAMSA permit and if it is under the same conditions as the previous Oil Rig that was 'cleaned' recently? The series of four images clearly show: Large amounts of water exiting the oil rig's structural columns connecting the pontoons and operating deck. An 'ominous' and unhealthy looking 'shadow' following the dredger out … [Read more...] about Have Harbour, Will Pollute
I Don’t Know About You but Images Like This Make me Nervous
So there we were with a wonderful new big harbour just down the drag from the Port of Port Elizabeth. Everyone had a fine time doing the Environmental Impact Assessments and then swung into action to keep an unsuspecting populace in check and ignorant of abuse of the very laws that were championed in order to establish the Nqura Harbour in the first place. A few years down the line the EIA's had been buried in paper and the watchers have become complacent - fat with the free lunches, drowning … [Read more...] about I Don’t Know About You but Images Like This Make me Nervous
Transnet are Disingenuously Moving the Manganese Ore Goal Posts
The following article: Human health: On corporate (ir-)responsibility and manganese, in the Mail and Guardian Thought Leader column by Bert Olivier, deserves to be read and sent on to your mates in Transnet, not just once but many many times: Below is an extract from the article: Some weeks ago, an article by Guy Rogers appeared in a Port Elizabeth newspaper, the Herald, titled "Transnet says it is committed to relocate its manganese operation". A reasonably reassuring statement, one would … [Read more...] about Transnet are Disingenuously Moving the Manganese Ore Goal Posts
No Rain, Yet Stormwater Canal Runs With Water?
On Tuesday 15 February I accompanied Conrad and Rainer from Ocean Messengers up and down the Swartkops River. We were very kindly escorted by Gustav from Marine and Coastal Management. Meeting up at Redhouse we burbled along down towards Swartkops. At the bend downstream from Redhouse I began to smell a particularly sulphurous and, sadly, familiar smell which only increased in intensity as we approached the Motherwell Stormwater Canal. Now this area of Port Elizabeth last had rain more … [Read more...] about No Rain, Yet Stormwater Canal Runs With Water?
A Manganese Ore Advert I would Have Carried for FREE
The Herald of 25 January 2011 'featured' an advert titled 'Notice of atmospheric emission licence application' - 'Renewal of the atmospheric emission licence for the manganese ore berth, Port Elizabeth'. Just in case you are feeling yourself this morning and missed that, here it is again; 'Renewal of the atmospheric emission licence for the manganese ore berth, Port Elizabeth'. I can hear violins playing and I can see dolphins leaping as the door opens to the start once again of a … [Read more...] about A Manganese Ore Advert I would Have Carried for FREE
