Wasting the Nation.indd - Groundwork

Chapter 3: The politics of wasteBox 6: ChloorkopWaste-Tech intended Chloorkop as a national H:H dump, located close to itsbiggest customer base in Gauteng but taking waste from across the country. Plansto start construction were reported in the press in 1993 and provoked a fire stormof response from local groups who had not been consulted. Waste-Tech then rolledout the PR. It called a public meeting to convey the message that the site would notharm “anybody or anything” but was faced with a barrage of calls for its closure. 22The campaign gathered enormous popular support mobilised through localstructures of the ANC together with the Transport and General Workers Unionand Earthlife. ANC leaders, including Nelson Mandela, signed a petition againstthe dump and the momentum was sustained through the transition to majorityrule. As in Durban, the terms of participation were hotly contested. A commissionappointed by the previous government and composed of technocrats was rejected.The new local government structure, dominated by the ANC, established a newcommission with community representatives sitting alongside the technocrats.It arrived at a split decision with the former opposing the dump while the lattersupported it on the condition that Waste-Tech kept to strict standards.Waste-Tech, now headed by a black entrepreneur, maintained an intensive lobbyingcampaign. It appealed to the regional planning structure which found in its favour.Given the intense opposition to a toxic dump within the ANC at local level, theprovincial government then arrived at the compromise of refusing permission for ahazardous dump, but allowing construction of a general waste dump.The experience of people living next to waste facilities was universally dire. At anEJNF workshop in 1995, they told “similar stories of serious health problems, leakingtoxic waste sites, choking incinerators, illegal dumping and incompetent management…” Within industry, Waste-Tech was singled out for special mention. Indeed, thecorporation was beginning to run out of options as one after another of its dumpscame under scrutiny and key dumps were closed down. In 1997, the company wastaken over by EnviroServ, creating a monopoly with 90% of the hazardous wastemarket.22 Tebogo Phadu, Chloorkop toxic waste dump: People driven development wins the day, EJNF Newsletter, No.4,Summer 1996/97.- 44 - groundWork - Wasting the Nation