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IOL News
15 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
KZN Legislature's new initiatives for informal traders
The KZN Economic Development and Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) awarded R900,000 to Impendle for the construction of 18 galvanised steel vendor stalls. Image: Supplied Informal trading infrastructure projects were the point of focus at the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature on Tuesday. The Economic Development and Planning Portfolio Committee met with the Impendle and Msunduzi municipalities for project updates. The KZN Economic Development and Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) awarded R900,000 to Impendle Municipality for the construction of 18 galvanised steel vendor stalls. The project provided alternatives to containerised structures and provided dignified trade spaces. The municipality stated that the project improved the image of the CBD and brought some confidence in the recognition of informal trade. In its report, the Impendle Municipal Infrastructure for Informal Enterprises (MIE) had spent R877,000 to supply, deliver, and erect market stalls. The project closeout phase is expected to be completed on August 30, 2025. Satishrai Bhanprakash, IFP MPL, raised concerns about the long-term maintenance plans for the structures, which he feared would be open to theft. The municipality stated that it did have a maintenance plan and that the metal structures were galvanised and durable. The committee also called for better oversight and proper details on invoicing. Also discussed was the construction of 15 brick and mortar structures for the Inzinga\ KwaNxamalala Trading Units project, which received R2.1 million from EDTEA in the 2022/23 financial year. According to Impendle Municipality, the Inzinga settlement is mapped as a secondary node on Impendle's spatial development framework. The node already has schools, a sports field, a primary clinic, and a tribal court. The area is missing commercial service. "This application aims to close this gap. The implementation of this project will help in the strategic objective to bolster area area-based management plan. The idea is to provide options so that they don't have to travel to the Impendle CBD for minor day-to-day needs," the report stated. The implementation was delayed due to limited funding in 2024\2025 with a funding agreement concluded in December 2024. Work is expected to start in August 2025 subject to the finailisaton of a lease agreement with the Ingonyama trust. Shontel De Boer, a DA MPL, said she was not happy with the reports when the committee conducted an oversight in Impendle. 'The report lacked details. We asked alot of questions at the meeting and we were promised a detailed report to make a decision. This report is also too vague,' she said. Mafika Mndebele, the chairperson of the committee in the legislature, urged the municipalities to do all they can to ensure that the projects are implemented. Phindile Zondi, the Msunduzi Municipality manager of Economic Planning and Infrastructure, spoke of the redevelopment of the Ematsheni Development Services situated on Retief Street in the Pietermaritzburg CBD. They received R3 million from EDTEA while the municipality invested R1 million. Zondi said the site was previously developed as a beer hall, which further supports the proposal, which is to enhance informal traders and Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs). 'In 2017, the site was demolished and mobilised for funding. Vagrants moved onto the property and undertook illegal activities. With the funding, we changed the narrative. It is expected that a contractor will be appointed during August 2025 to commence with the implementation of Phase 1 of the project,' Zondi said. The site establishment is expected to commence in September 2025 for nine months. [email protected] The redevelopment of the Ematsheni Development Services situated on Retief Street in the Pietermaritzburg CBD. The project is estimated at R4 million. Image: Msunduzi Municipality
IOL News
4 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Budget constraints: KZN air quality stations non-operational
The Durban landscape. Concerns have been raised about the air quality in KwaZulu-Natal as air quality monitoring stations have not been working for two years. Image: File Photo: Leon Lestrade Independent Newspapers KZN's air quality monitoring stations are non-operational due to budget constraints, raising concerns about the health impacts on communities. YOSHINI PERUMAL explores the implications of the shutdown and the call for urgent action. WITH all six air quality stations in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) non-operational due to budget constraints, the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) has failed to assess the health risks posed by deteriorating air quality in local communities. The state of the air quality stations were revealed in a parliamentary response to the Democratic Alliance's (DA) Hannah Lidgett, spokesperson on environmental affairs for KZN. The stations are located in Newcastle, Stanger, Ngwelezane, Port Shepstone, Pietermaritzburg, and Estcourt. Dr Bonginkosi Dlamini, chief director of environmental management for EDTEA, said there was a lack of budget to operate the stations in Newcastle and Stanger, while at the Ngwelezane and Estcourt stations there were no budget available to repair the instruments. He said at Port Shepstone, the instruments were beyond repair and the facility had become obsolete. Dlamini added a lack of budget and vandalisation of the Pietermaritzburg station had led to it being shut down. 'Some of the stations will be repaired following the 2025/2026 financial year, while others have been earmarked for the 2026/2027 financial year,' he added. He said due to the stations being shut down, the EDTEA relied on data from the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) and its accompanying reports. 'The department has not assessed the health risks and impacts of poor air quality on communities. The assessments are part of the activities in the recently approved Air Quality Management Plan for KZN,' Dlamini said. Lidgett said it was alarming that the department had no data on the health impacts of poor air quality on communities. 'This collapse was allowed to happen under the neglectful eyes of the previous administration. What is particularly disturbing is that many communities across KZN are at the brunt of poor air quality and report significant health impacts. It is deeply concerning that former governments did not address the issue,' added Lidgett. She said it was also concerning that turnaround times to fix the stations were staggered. 'Adding to the concern, the department confirmed it had not commissioned any studies or assessments regarding the health impacts of poor air quality on communities. This historical neglect is in direct contradiction to their constitutional duty to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all residents of KZN. Instead, EDTEA stated that health impact assessments form part of future activities under the recently approved Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). 'It is unacceptable that the provincial government remains unaware of the extent of harm caused by air pollution while simultaneously delaying meaningful intervention for years to come. Without data, there can be no accountability, and without accountability, communities will continue to suffer needlessly,' she said. Lidgett called on EDTEA to fast-track the urgent repair and recommissioning of the three air quality monitoring stations earmarked for remediation in this financial year. 'We also call for the immediate implementation of the AQMP which was approved in 2024, and a transparent implementation timeline for the AQMP with measurable deliverables. 'The department must begin interim community-level air quality assessments through mobile monitoring units, immediately initiate health risk studies in known pollution hotspots, and prioritise emergency repairs and recommissioning of existing stations in the 2024/25 adjustment budget,' she added. EDTEA's AQMP report indicated the gap and capacity analysis in the province, and revealed that the human resources capacity in KZN was limited and comprised one air quality officer and one environmental compliance officer. To adequately manage air quality, the AQMP stated that it was necessary to fill the vacant AQMP positions and expand the team. Proposed interventions in the plan included the investigation of the feasibility of renewable energy and mechanisms to regulate newly identified technologies; to develop and enforce emission reduction plans or measures for controlled emitters; and to identify any listed and controlled activities currently operating without emissions licences The management plan included health studies conducted in KZN. One study examined respiratory outcomes in association to ambient air quality among school children at primary schools located in two regions, which was the highly industrialised Durban south areas and non-industrialised Durban north areas. The outcome of the study indicated that poor respiratory health was more common in children from the Durban south region than from the north region. In the population-based sample, 32.1% of participants had asthma of some severity, 12.0% had persistent asthma, of which 4.0% had moderate to severe symptoms, and 7.8% had marked airway hyperreactivity. The south region participants were noted to have prevalent cases of severe symptoms of asthma. The results indicate that 12.2% of south region participants had moderate to severe persistent asthma compared to the northern region participants, which was 9.6%. The findings strongly suggested that the adverse respiratory symptoms had been increased by industrial pollution. THE POST
The Citizen
7 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
No operational air monitors in KZN, confirms EDTEA
The KwaZulu-Natal government has admitted that none of the province's six air quality monitoring stations are currently operational. In a startling revelation on July 1, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) confirmed that all six of the province's air quality (AQ) monitoring stations – including the one at the iLembe Auditorium in KwaDukuza – are offline. The disclosure came in response to formal parliamentary questions submitted by the Democratic Alliance (DA), raising serious concerns about public health and environmental governance. EDTEA said the stations have been non-functional for an extended period due to a lack of funding. According to the DA, this leaves communities exposed to unmonitored air pollution. Even more troubling, the department also admitted it has not conducted any studies or assessments on the health impacts of poor air quality on residents. The DA condemned this as a 'gross dereliction of duty,' accusing successive administrations of allowing the monitoring system to collapse. Neither EDTEA nor the iLembe District Municipality provided comment. 'Without data, there can be no accountability, and without accountability, communities will continue to suffer needlessly,' said DA KZN spokesperson on environmental affairs, Hannah Lidgett. According to EDTEA, only three of the six monitoring stations – including iLembe – are scheduled for repair in the 2025/26 financial year. The remaining three will not be addressed until 2026/27. The department has pointed to its newly approved Air Quality Management Plan as a framework for future health impact assessments. However, the DA argues the timeline is too slow and the damage already done is immeasurable. The Dolphin Coast Residents and Ratepayers Association (Docrra) has gone further, describing the failure as a breach of citizens' Constitutional rights. Docrra environmental subcommittee chairperson Brian Pottinger said the association had previously alerted iLembe to the situation. 'We pointed out to iLembe that the non-functioning AQ monitors breach citizens' Constitutional rights. They say they are waiting for funds,' said Pottinger. 'That is why we support private initiatives like Communities Against Pollution, which monitor air quality to identify sources of pollution and bring them to the authorities' attention. We have sponsored two monitors and approved two more.' Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
10-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Repairs to Mobeni Heights and Tongaat crematoriums to be fast-tracked
ETHEKWINI Mayor Cyril Xaba conducted a site visit to the Mobeni Heights Crematorium yesterday (Tuesday) to address the challenges plaguing the facility, and vowed to accelerate the repairs. On May 12, the crematorium was shut-down after the municipality had failed to renew the Air Emission Licence (AEL). At the time, eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, said the closure of the crematorium was based on the poor performance of the furnace due to the control unit malfunctioning. This impacted on the facility's ability to cremate within the parameters of the AEL, and the closure was enforced despite the AEL being valid until January 31, 2026. The high emissions posed an environmental health risk to the surrounding community. Xaba said to remedy the situation, the municipality has started the process of procuring two furnaces which would be installed by the end of August. He called for patience from the affected communities and vowed to monitor the repairs closely to ensure that the facility was back to its full operations. 'The municipality has allocated R14 million to repair the furnaces at the Mobeni Heights Crematorium and to give the entire facility a facelift,' he added. Sisilana said the upgrade of the crematorium was funded in the 2025/2026 financial year and would focus on the replacement of the furnace and a building upgrade of the 'pyramid' portion of the facility. 'Any changes would require permission from the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) and final approval by other role players,' she added. The crematorium has two furnaces, both of which are not operational. The upgrade would replace the oldest furnace with a locally manufactured and maintained unit. The new unit will comply with the latest legislation required to operate a crematorium. The second furnace that was commissioned in 2021 will undergo a refurbishment, including the control unit to latest industrial standards and norms to be fully compliant with all legislative requirements. Xaba said processes to repair the Tongaat Crematorium were also at an advanced stage as the municipality had reprioritized R7 million for the replacement of furnaces. 'We anticipate completing the work at the Tongaat Crematorium by the end of next month. While repairs are ongoing at these facilities, the municipality urges residents to use nearby crematoria,' Xaba added. The POST
IOL News
14-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Community leaders outraged by the closure of Mobeni Heights Crematorium
THE closure of the Mobeni Heights Crematorium yet again, has sparked outrage among community leaders in Chatsworth and funeral service providers. They have accused the eThekwini Municipality of 'gross apathy' for not managing the facility properly. On Monday, funeral service providers were notified by the manager at the crematorium that the facility had been shut-down after the municipality had allegedly failed to renew the Air Emission Licence (AEL). eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, said the closure of the crematorium was due to the poor performance of the furnace. This, she said, was attributed to the control unit malfunctioning. It impacted on the facility's ability to cremate within the parameters of the AEL, and the closure was enforced despite the AEL being valid until January 31, 2026, she added. Sisilana said the crematorium would be reopened once the proposed upgrade was completed and compliant with all legislative requirements. 'The upgrade of the crematorium is funded in the 2025/2026 financial year and would focus on the replacement of the furnace and a building upgrade of the 'pyramid' portion of the facility. Any changes would require permission from the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) and final approval by other role players,' she added. She said the crematorium had two furnaces, both of which were not operational. 'The upgrade would replace the oldest furnace with a locally manufactured and maintained unit. The new unit will comply with the latest legislation required to operate a crematorium. 'The second furnace that was commissioned in 2021 would undergo a refurbishment, including the control unit to latest industrial standards and norms to be fully compliant with all legislative requirements,' Sisilana added. Rocky Naidoo, chairperson of the Chatsworth and District Civic Federation, said they would challenge the municipality in court if it did not find a solution to get the facility up and running again. He said every year, the crematorium was faced with different issues, including broken incinerators and furnaces which did not work. 'The municipality is messing around with the community they were tasked to serve. Last year, we were told that the budget was approved for the 2024/5 period and that the facility would be fully operational. We were assured by Tim Arbuckle, the head of crematoriums for the municipality, that the incinerators would be operational within that period. 'But they are dragging their feet. The incinerators have not been working efficiently for well over 10 years. The communities are deprived of a valuable much needed service. You cannot have a citation where we encourage people to cremate their loved ones in view of the shortage of burial space, but not have the services,' he added. Naidoo said the community was paying the price for the lack of service delivery from the city. 'We believe that the service delivery is non-existent in predominantly Indian areas like Chatsworth. This is evident in the lack of response for the ongoing issues the community faces. 'We hope that we are not going to hear the same excuses, that the money will come from the budget in the 2025/26 period next year. The crematorium will become a rusting relic if left to the municipality,' Naidoo added. Clive Moodley, President of the Progressive Funeral Practitioners Association (Profpa), said for years the municipality had proven they were unable to properly manage the crematorium. 'This is just another show of negligence by the city. We have made a number of proposals to them, including for the crematorium to be privatised so that the facility could be refurbished. But they do not want to do that or fix it.' Moodley said an air emission certificate not being renewed was an indication that the city did not have their operations under control. 'How can they fail to renew a licence for a facility that is already in dire need of repairs? This shows that they do not care about the people. We will join the civic association to take the municipality to court if they do not prioritise the crematorium repairs,' he said. Lenny Reddy, from Wyebank Funeral Services, said: 'Families are facing significant delays in arranging funerals and there is great uncertainty with this latest closure. This causes emotional distress and financial hardship for those affected by death. I urge the relevant authorities to provide interim solutions or emergency funds to address the crematorium's closure. We too will join the civic association to hold the city accountable.' THE POST
