The Big Stink

Criminal charges pending in KZN waste management battle.

- Desiree Erasmus

ENVIROSERV, THE SELF-PROCLAIMED “leader in waste management solutions, delivering environmental peace of mind” is facing criminal charges for contravening the National Air Quality Act, relating to its landfill at Shongweni in KwaZulu-Natal.

It also risks having its licence for the site suspended or revoked by the Department of Environmental Affairs.

In response, the company has accused the DEA of bias in its handling of its investigation into the landfill and of having “leaks” in the department that are feeding information to the media and the Upper Highway Air (UHA), a grassroots non-profit organisation established to demand accountability from the company.

Bizarrely, the local office of the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) has also joined the fray, with the branch secretary telling Noseweek the landfill “does not smell at all” and that “those white people” complaining were doing so because of “a hidden agenda”. However at a national level, Satawu confirmed it is pursuing a multi-million-rand civil suit against the company on behalf of 33 of its members from other areas.

Meanwhile, EnviroServ is seeking an urgent interdict to gag an activist who launched a social media and email campaign targeting the multinational’s investors, shareholders and other stakeholders. These include the British Chamber of Business, British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association, Barclays Bank, JP Morgan and South African banking associations.

EnviroServ says the campaign by London-based activist Jeremy Everitt has cost it serious investors “including but not limited to Rockwood Private Equity and Coller Capital”.