Manganese transportation remains a headache
• Namibian environment commissioner silent
Residents have bemoaned "blatantly illogical and insulting" circumvention of regulations regarding the transport of manganese.
Tanja BauseWindhoek
A storm is brewing in Lüderitz over the transportation of manganese. This after most train wagons that ferry the mineral through the town to the port are no longer covered with tarpaulins. Since the first manganese was unloaded at the port in 2019, residents have constantly complained that the wagons are not packed properly.
Recently, a social media post bemoaned the situation: “Early Sunday evening, with a strong south-west wind blowing, another manganese train arrived in the town. Only the first 10 bins directly behind the train engine are covered with tarps – most of them only partially, however, with loose parts flapping in the wind or hanging off the side, exposing much of the manganese ore. The other 20 wagons that followed were not covered at all, with no evidence that any tarps had ever been there”.
According to Shadrack Tjiramba of Enviro Leap Consulting, the wagons do not need to be covered.
“The manganese ore must be treated with an environmentally-friendly dust suppressant at the source before it is transported - this is in accordance with the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC). In addition, the proponent has started the process of applying for an amendment to the ECC conditions regarding the use of tarps as the treatment of ore continues at the source and there appears to be no significant impacts arising from the transport and handling of the manganese ore.
“There are ongoing losses of the tarps due to vandalism and theft, which have been reported to the relevant authorities.”
Challenge
According to TransNamib spokesperson Abigail Raubenheimer, they are aware of the problem and are in discussions to address it.
“Manganese must be covered during transport. It is covered with tarps. It is also important that the public understands the challenge the company faces in terms of theft specifically of tarps, which significantly affects the movement of goods. The theft of this material that covers the manganese costs the company a lot in terms of lost product and has an impact on the compliance process.
“TransNamib’s contract with the client provides for breaches in terms of its obligations and can be revoked, pending the recommendations of the internal investigation,” she said.
“TransNamib is going to stop all trains that are not covered with tarps.”
According to Raubenheimer, the manganese is stored under a canopy in Ariamsvlei before it is loaded onto the wagons. It is then unloaded in the port of Lüderitz and is also stored under a roof before being loaded onto the boat.
Cloud of dust
However, according to concerned residents, “the manganese is loaded onto the boat in open containers which always causes a cloud of manganese dust”.
A complaint on Facebook said those involved in the transportation of the manganese waited until the train was just a kilometre outside the town before they started “scrambling to cover some of the wagons with tarps and others with plastic covers”.
“It is a blatantly illogical and insulting way to circumvent regulations and avoid concerned complaints. This train travelled from Ariamsvlei for 625 kilometers with bare manganese. Then the train stopped just one kilometre from town while temporary covers were hastily installed, only to travel the last 2.5 kilometres through town to the Namport site”.
“Where is the ministry of environment, forestry and tourism? They are supposed to ensure that the ECC regulations are met. How can this continue after so many complaints?”
Residents said they have submitted non-compliance reports on the ministry’s website numerous times. Complaints were also addressed to the Namibian environment commissioner Timoteus Mufeti, which remained unanswered.
Questions to Mufeti and Namport from Namibia Media Holdings also went unanswered after more than a week.
A storm is brewing in Lüderitz over the transportation of manganese. This after most train wagons that ferry the mineral through the town to the port are no longer covered with tarpaulins. Since the first manganese was unloaded at the port in 2019, residents have constantly complained that the wagons are not packed properly.
Recently, a social media post bemoaned the situation: “Early Sunday evening, with a strong south-west wind blowing, another manganese train arrived in the town. Only the first 10 bins directly behind the train engine are covered with tarps – most of them only partially, however, with loose parts flapping in the wind or hanging off the side, exposing much of the manganese ore. The other 20 wagons that followed were not covered at all, with no evidence that any tarps had ever been there”.
According to Shadrack Tjiramba of Enviro Leap Consulting, the wagons do not need to be covered.
“The manganese ore must be treated with an environmentally-friendly dust suppressant at the source before it is transported - this is in accordance with the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC). In addition, the proponent has started the process of applying for an amendment to the ECC conditions regarding the use of tarps as the treatment of ore continues at the source and there appears to be no significant impacts arising from the transport and handling of the manganese ore.
“There are ongoing losses of the tarps due to vandalism and theft, which have been reported to the relevant authorities.”
Challenge
According to TransNamib spokesperson Abigail Raubenheimer, they are aware of the problem and are in discussions to address it.
“Manganese must be covered during transport. It is covered with tarps. It is also important that the public understands the challenge the company faces in terms of theft specifically of tarps, which significantly affects the movement of goods. The theft of this material that covers the manganese costs the company a lot in terms of lost product and has an impact on the compliance process.
“TransNamib’s contract with the client provides for breaches in terms of its obligations and can be revoked, pending the recommendations of the internal investigation,” she said.
“TransNamib is going to stop all trains that are not covered with tarps.”
According to Raubenheimer, the manganese is stored under a canopy in Ariamsvlei before it is loaded onto the wagons. It is then unloaded in the port of Lüderitz and is also stored under a roof before being loaded onto the boat.
Cloud of dust
However, according to concerned residents, “the manganese is loaded onto the boat in open containers which always causes a cloud of manganese dust”.
A complaint on Facebook said those involved in the transportation of the manganese waited until the train was just a kilometre outside the town before they started “scrambling to cover some of the wagons with tarps and others with plastic covers”.
“It is a blatantly illogical and insulting way to circumvent regulations and avoid concerned complaints. This train travelled from Ariamsvlei for 625 kilometers with bare manganese. Then the train stopped just one kilometre from town while temporary covers were hastily installed, only to travel the last 2.5 kilometres through town to the Namport site”.
“Where is the ministry of environment, forestry and tourism? They are supposed to ensure that the ECC regulations are met. How can this continue after so many complaints?”
Residents said they have submitted non-compliance reports on the ministry’s website numerous times. Complaints were also addressed to the Namibian environment commissioner Timoteus Mufeti, which remained unanswered.
Questions to Mufeti and Namport from Namibia Media Holdings also went unanswered after more than a week.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article