31/08/2026
WESCO Update:
Community Response and Next Steps
Following our previous update regarding the Draft Integrated Waste and Water Management Plan (IWWMP) which is required for the water license applied for by Wesco, we are pleased to confirm that the MRA Waste Task Team submitted its comprehensive comments to SLR Consulting acting on behalf of Wesco, within the prescribed deadline.
The submission followed an extensive review of the documentation, supported by our independent hydrologist and our attorneys, and informed by the concerns and interests of the community members who have mandated the MRA to represent them in this process. You can find a copy of the comments on our website: www.melkbostogether.co.za
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of our donors for their continued support.
The small, ongoing contributions made by members of the community have enabled us to settle the account of the independent expert who assisted us with the technical review of the IWWMP.
Every contribution, regardless of size, has helped us to ensure that the community has access to the appropriate independent expertise when challenging and scrutinising this proposed development.
Thank you for standing behind the Waste Task Team and for helping us continue this important work.
What Happens Next?
The proposed development remains subject to a number of separate statutory approvals. These approvals each have their own legal and regulatory requirements and applicable processes provide further opportunities for scrutiny and participation. Where the outcomes are not in the interest of the community of Melkbosstrand and surrounds, it remains our prerogative to lodge appeals and take decisions on review.
We are currently awaiting further developments on a number of fronts:
• We await the outcome of our appeal against the Environmental Authorisation that has already been granted.
• We are also still awaiting the outcome of the Waste Management Licence applied for by Wesco and will continue to monitor this process closely.
• We will monitor the application for a water license to ensure that our comments on the draft IWWMP, are included for consideration by the competent authority.
• Wesco have advised that they are busy with their application for re-zoning of the land and we await the opportunity to participate in this process.
The Waste Task Team will continue to engage with these processes and will keep the community informed as substantive developments arise.
We Need Your Assistance
As we are proactively starting to prepare for assessment of the re-zoning application that will be necessary for the proposed Wesco development to proceed, we would like to hear from any community member or business that has previously had an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or rezoning application declined because the land falls within either the 5km or 16km zone of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.
If you have experienced this and are prepared to share the official reasons given to you for the decline with us, or have information relating to such a case, please contact the Waste Task Team at:
[email protected]
This information will assist us in understanding how similar applications have previously been assessed and dealt with in the rezoning process.
A Special Recognition for the Waste Task Team
We are particularly proud to share that the Waste Task Team subcommittee of the Melkbosstrand Ratepayers Association was awarded the “Melkbosstrander of the Year” award by the Melkbosstrand Rotary Association.
This recognition belongs not only to the members of the Task Team, but also to the broader Melkbosstrand community that has supported and stood behind this initiative.
We are deeply grateful for the recognition and regard it as an encouragement to continue working on behalf of our community.
Continuing to Stand Together
The Waste Task Team remains committed to ensuring that the interests and concerns of the Melkbosstrand community are represented throughout every stage of this process.
We will continue to scrutinise each application, obtain expert input where necessary, and engage through the appropriate regulatory and legal channels.
We thank the community once again for your continued support, your donations, your information, and your trust.
Together, we will continue to stand up for Melkbosstrand.
Melkbostogether is a community group to stop the WESCO hazardous waste processing plant. Join the fight to SAY NO TO WESCO by putting your name down to oppose or help the Waste Task Teams fundraising efforts by donating now.
