
A cement plant in Kelvin is reported to be causing havoc for the people working and living near it, polluting the air with sand and cement and bringing health concerns to a number of people.
Body corporate chair of Georgian Place Office Park in Southway Road, Marianette Bubb and many of her co-workers have been struggling with sinus problems since Scribante Concrete moved in at the corner of Impala Road and Spartan Sgl two years ago.
“I have been struggling for ages with sinus problems because of the sand and cement that blow everywhere from the plant. Cars skid in the sand left behind on the road. There are mountains of waste against the perimeter walls and I’m concerned that with bad storms, it will fall into neighbouring properties and spill onto the road,” said Bubb.
She has been in contact with her ward councillor Werner Smit and a number of other councillors who have sought to bring up the issue with the Department of Environmental Health.

Smit said the plant is not in compliance with health bylaws and said that the Department of Environmental Health has served them with notice of non-compliance. “I am in communication with the Department of Environmental Health, JRA and Developmental Planning to see how we can expedite a favourable outcome,” said Smit.
In a letter of demand sent on 3 October to the Scribante Concrete, it read, “Refrain from discharging dust into the air in a manner that will cause or be offensive to the environment and nuisance to the public.” Failure to comply with this warning was said to result in legal proceedings from the City council, with the court imposing a fine of R1 000.
Spokesperson for the City of Joburg, Nthatisi Modingoane said, “The City’s Environmental Health Department is aware of the situation and is investigating the matter. Our environmental health officials have visited the cement factory to assess the situation.”


Modingoane said that during a follow-up visit, they noticed that sprinklers were installed and a request was made to install more, a wash area for trucks was installed but proper drainage was still to be installed.
There was also no paving on the driveway during the investigation. Modingoane said that a follow-up notice was to be issued on 2 November.
Risk manager at Scribante Concrete, Martin Gray, said while the plant in Impala Road had not received any formal complaints from people around the site, they were in discussions with the Environmental Health Department.
Gray said that measures have been put in place to control incoming tankers, wash wheels of trucks daily, lay concrete slabs at the entrance and exit, spray down the yard and sweep the road daily.

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