MARONDERA- The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in Mashonaland
East recently issued a US$1 000 ticket to Velocity Logistics after the company’s
container was involved in an accident near Melfort bridge along the Harare-Mutare
highway.
The truck was travelling outside the recommended hours and apart from the issued
ticket, it was further given an ultimatum to clean the contaminated area.
Astas Mabwe who is the EMA education and publicity officer in the province
confirmed the development.
He said: “A container belonging to Velocity Logistics headquartered in Southerton,
Harare was involved in an accident a few days ago. The truck was loaded with 30
000 litres of crude oil belonging to Zimgold. An estimated 12 000 litres of oil was
looted by people from the local community and they only stopped after members of
the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) intervened.
“Because of that, we issued the company with a US$1 000 ticket because the
haulage truck was travelling at odd hours which is not recommended and in violation
of environmental laws. We also ordered the company to clean the whole area which
was contaminated by the spilt crude oil.”
Mabwe stated that transportation, storage, sale and use of hazardous substances
should only be done under a license from EMA to ensure safety precautionary
measures are taken to protect the public and prevent pollution of the environment.
Failure to do so will attract imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year; or both
such fine and such imprisonment.
EMA also reminded all transporters of hazardous substances to stick to the
proposed travelling timeframe of 4am-8pm and to use approved packaging, signage
and containers during transportation.
Hazardous substances management in Zimbabwe is regulated under the
Environmental Management Act Cap 20:27 as read with Statutory Instrument 268 of
2018, to prevent pollution, protect the safety of the public and the environment.