Durban's Engen fuel refinery, owned by the Malaysian fuel giant Petronas, has been fined R500 by the Durban waste water department for polluting the Badulla Canal in Merebank with 3 000 litres of oil last week.

In a separate incident last week, the owner of a Durban fishing trawler was fined R10 000 by the SA Marine Safety Authority for polluting the harbour.

A spokesperson for Durban waste water said besides the R500 fine the company would also have to pay the costs of cleaning up the spill as well as the labour and other costs associated with calling out Durban Metro officials.