Toxic smoulder takes over Sea Cow Lake

The Citizen

05-07-2025

THREE eThekwini Municipality departments were called out to Gumtree Road in Ward 34 on Thursday after residents raised the alarm over toxic fumes emanating from an old illegal dumpsite.
Also read: Man shot dead in Avoca, motive unknown
The area's ward councillor, Andrew Akkers, said a fire broke out at the site about three weeks ago. Although it was contained, the smolder of toxic fumes has not stopped since then.
Residents expressed their concerns to him stating that they are worried about the impact it could have on human and animal health.
'We've received a number of complaints from residents who are breathing in these toxic fumes daily. The smell of chemicals in the air is overwhelming. It's a serious health hazard,' said Akkers.
'On Thursday, 26 June I met on site with the City's Pollution Control and Risk Management, Air Quality Team from City Health, Fire and Disaster Management, and Environmental Health. They stated they would put out a media statement that evening but this is yet to happen,' he said
Akkers said toxic chemicals had been dumped on this site in previous years until Metro SAPS intervened last year and fined the culprit. Akkers believes that these chemicals, now underground, is what is burning and expelling toxic fumes into the air.
He said that the fumes are not only affecting Ward 34, but are also being carried by the wind into neighbouring Ward 36, where more complaints have emerged.
'There are reports of animals becoming ill, and residents experiencing health problems like headaches, nausea, and breathing issues. The situation is unacceptable, and the lack of action from authorities is deeply concerning,' he added.
@caxtonlocalmedia
Three eThekwini Municipality departments were called out to Gumtree Road in Ward 34 last Thursday after residents raised the alarm over toxic fumes emanating from an old illegal dumpsite. Toxic chemicals had been dumped on this site in previous years until Metro SAPS intervened last year and fined the culprit. These chemicals, now underground, is what is burning and expelling toxic fumes into the air. Anil Beekrum, chairman of the Kenville and Sea Cow Lake Residents and Ratepayers Association and vice-chairman for the Kenville and Sea Cow Lake Community Policing Forum said he has stopped a vehicles from dumping in the area and reported registration numbers to law enforcement and the City's parks and gardens department. Municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilane said: 'A multi-disciplinary operation is working round the clock to alleviate the impact of pollution and restore air quality in the affected areas as swiftly as possible.' #CaxtonLocalMedia #GumtreeRoad #ToxicFumesDurban #Ward34
♬ original sound – caxtonlocalmedia – caxtonlocalmedia
Illness
One of the residents affected by these fumes is Vishal Mothilall. He said the air quality had been affecting him and his wife as well as their pet dog.
'We are continuously coughing and our allergies have been triggered too. We work from home which makes it difficult as doors and windows have to closed at all times. The fumes stick to your clothes and the smell lingers inside the house. We have to sleep with our fan on low throughout the night to circulate the air,' he said.
Ratepayers association
Anil Beekrum, chairman of the Kenville and Sea Cow Lake Residents and Ratepayers Association and vice-chairman for the Kenville and Sea Cow Lake Community Policing Forum said he has stopped a vehicles from dumping in the area and reported registration numbers to law enforcement and the City's parks and gardens department,
'Dumping is rife in this area, not only in Gumtree Road. As the ratepayers' association and CPF, we are doing all that we can with the resourced that we have. We urge residents to report illegal dumping to the relevant authourities. The City can also assist by erecting no dumping sigange and providing skips. This will act as a deterent, ' he said.
City response
The eThekwini Municipality says a multi-disciplinary team is swiftly working to contain the Sea Cow Lake fumes which have been smoldering perpetually for about two weeks now.
'The City's Emergency Services, Environmental Health Practitioners, and Air Quality Specialists are working jointly to mitigate the impact of smoke currently emitting from an illegal dumpsite in the Gumtree area,' said municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilane.
'The multi-disciplinary operation is working round the clock to alleviate the impact of pollution and restore air quality in the affected areas as swiftly as possible,' she added.
In the meantime, the City has offered the following precautionary tips for residents from Gumtree Road and surrounding communities:
Keep windows and doors closed;
Cover air vents with damp cloths to limit indoor smoke exposure; and
Limit outdoor activities until smoke levels subside.
'Residents are encouraged to wait for improved air quality before engaging in outdoor activities. When conditions improve, homes should be aired out to help reduce indoor pollution,' said Sisilane
The Health Unit can be contacted on 031 311 3555.
For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!