Arthur Wilmans, the owner of a new private R10 million crematorium in Cato Ridge, wants answers from environmental officials as to why they are stalling the opening of his facility. Arthur Wilmans, the owner of a new private R10 million crematorium in Cato Ridge, wants answers from environmental officials as to why they are stalling the opening of his facility.
DURBAN - THE owner of a new state-of-the-art private crematorium in Durban wants to know why authorities stopped the opening of his facility despite there being a backlog at state crematoriums.
Arthur Wilmans has sent a legal letter to the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) to get answers.For almost a year, the new R10million crematorium situated in Cato Ridge has been ready to open, but EDTEA officials are allegedly refusing to pass it.
There are only three functional state crematorium facilities in Durban.
“The reason they have provided is that I had stored the imported machinery, which wasn’t even in use, in the crematorium, without permission from EDTEA,” said Wilmans.
“They claimed I had committed an offence and would be fined. But I’ve been waiting months to actually get a fine amount so I can move on.”
He said the department’s justification for fining him made no sense, as the machinery was stored in a building that had been passed and wasn’t in use.
“Can you fine someone for buying a car and parking it in their garage until you had a licence to drive it? I’m challenging their reasoning as it is ridiculous. I’m challenging this fine that I’ve been waiting months to receive. But I need them to give me a fine amount first,” said Wilmans.
Through his legal representative Janice Tooley, an environmental law attorney, Wilmans has requested that EDTEA speed up the process to have his facility approved by authorities and also requested that they give him an amount regarding the fine he was asked to pay.
“lt is submitted that although the department has taken the view that my client commenced an activity without environmental authorisation, there has been no negative impact on the environment,” Tooley’s submission to EDTEA read.
Wilmans said his facility would operate for 24 hours if needed, and would cater for the cremation of more than 20 bodies per day.
EDTEA spokesperson Bongani Tembe said the development of the crematorium commenced without the requisite environmental authorisation.
He said the department was in the process of determining an administrative fine in this regard but did not indicate a time frame.
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