Transnet spends days cleaning up pollution at Durban port following storm
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has started a major cleanup at the Port of Durban to remove large volumes of waste and vegetation after recent heavy rains and flooding in KwaZulu-Natal.
The adverse weather caused a deluge of plastic and other debris to flow into the port, leaving behind an “unsightly scene”.
Durban acting port manager Nokuzola Nkowane said in a release on Thursday that all Transnet operating divisions were carrying out assessments to establish the full extent of damage caused by the storm.
She said the port’s pollution control teams had been on site cleaning up the debris within port waters, aided by cleanup teams from SpillTech, Drizit and ZMK Enterprises.
Progress has been slow, owing to the sheer volume of material that was still washing in.
Nkowane further confirmed that debris included large logs that posed a threat to the safe navigation of the harbour craft which were used to guide vessels safely in and around the port.
“The port has been operational, however, the ingress of waste impacted on vessel movements and on midday Wednesday three vessels had been unable to berth or sail in the Maydon Wharf precinct.
“The combined catchment area of the rivers, canals and stormwater drainage systems that drain into the port is more than 200 km2 in size. The unfortunate reality is that the port waters are on the receiving end of the large volume of litter, effluent and sewage that is discharged into the stormwater reticulation system within the catchment,” said Nkowane.
TNPA has been engaging with the eThekwini municipality regarding the interventions required to address the ingress of waste and effluent into the port from the municipal stormwater network, which drained a significant portion of the Durban metropolitan area.
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