Remius Zireva

Service / Career

2020 - Safety and Health manager, Steel Brands.

Events

After complaints were raised by residents of Houghton Park, a fact-finding mission by the Portfolio committee on Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Services, led by Concilia Chinanzvavana to ascertain the alleged emissions at Steel Brands Private Limited plant has led to more questions. The complaints concerned toxic pollution emitted and the regularization of the premises. Steel Brands is a steel manufacturing firm with 230 workers Ward 23 (Waterfalls) councillor Stanley Manyenga was part of the residents with complaints.

• Regularisation

The mission revealed that City of Harare regularised the construction of a heavy industry Steel Brands company on a light industry environment. When asked, EMA Provincial manager Robson Mavondo said: “We objected to the initial plan because we said to them that the plant is a heavy industry and not a light one. That was a contentious matter because they went to City of Harare which changed the papers to make them align with light industry area and once they had done that, we didn’t have mandate to object.”

• Houghton Park Primary School

There are allegations Steel Brands bought a vehicle for the school headmaster who has since left the school and the incumbent headmistress is claimed to be receiving valuables from the firm. Hence, the school has made no complaints. Remius Zireva, Company Safety and Health manager “We do not have a personal relationship and we just donate items as part of our social responsibility programs. All the residents and other stakeholders were consulted and they signed a document approving the plan. The former head’s claims that we had a vehicle arrangement is not true. They even lodged a complaint too.”

• Residents

Several residents were concerned with why there is heavy industry in a light industrial area, and pollution. “When they started construction, we were told it’s a warehouse but that is not the case,” said one. Drainage residue is going to the borehole.
Smoke and emission coming from the chimneys is unbearable. They are telling lies about only using electricty, every Sunday there is a truck full of coal.
The noise coming from their machines is disturbing learners at the school.

• EMA

The committee discovered that EMA had taken over a year to fix malfunctioning testing equipment raising concerns over the accuracy of the regular checks at Steel Brands. Provincial manager Robson Mavondo commented that other agencies are carrying out testing on our behalf and outside partners are willing to lend us a helping hand with some equipment.
Concilia Chinanzvavana spoke after the tour. We have established here is that this a heavy industry wrongly located. We have to establish the procedural nature of this plant and if they went through EMA or if there is any certification to it. It has emission of some sort. It is hazardous to the community and section 72 of the constitution cites the right to a safe environment and we have to provide that. ^[1]