A dynamite blasting incident in Roodekrans has left one of the neighbours, Claudette van Wyk, in an explosive mood.
On 16 January a blasting company, AAA Surface Blasting and Demolition, conducted the blasting of rocks in order to build a swimming pool in Elkie Street. Van Wyk says she was not notified although some of her neighbours were. When the blasting commenced, which took place at intervals of about two minutes apart, her dogs became petrified so she went to investigate. When she confronted the blasters over the wall and asked whether they had a permit she was given a copy of the notice which she did not receive prior to the blasting. She says the notice was unprofessional, had no company registration number on it and contained various spelling mistakes. It was also not signed.
The blasting suddenly stopped after the confrontation but Van Wyk says she is not sure whether they were finished or if the words they had made them leave. When she went back into her house she noticed a crack in her dining room. On further inspection she found more cracks and outside one wall was so badly damaged the plaster came off.
She then tried to contact the blasting company but none of the numbers worked. She also visited their website which did not exist any more.
She claims that when she reached the manager, André Myburgh she was told not to tell him how to do his job.
The record contacted Myburgh and requested the relevant documentation and permits. He said he would email it but by the time of going to press had not received it yet. All attempts afterwards, phone calls and text messages, were unsuccessful.
According to Captain Charles van Heerden of the police’s explosives unit in Pretoria, various requirements have to be met in order to blast in a residential area. Van Heerden said they would investigate the matter.
Maria Marais of Wreckers, a blasting company, was kind enough to provide a list of the requirements which includes the following:
•A Certified Blaster. (License issued by Inspector of Explosives).
•Notification to the Inspectorate of Explosives for each event.
•Obtaining permits :
a) Blasting Permit
b) Transport Permit
•Notifying the emergency services.
•Checking the location of utilities and if necessary liaise with gas, water, electricity and telephone suppliers.
• Notifying surrounding properties and householders.
•Arrange evacuation and crowd control zones with SAPS and Metro Police.
•Arrange a predetermined time and a schedule of events, so all parties can be notified.
•Vibration levels to be monitored during blasting operation.
