/ 23 October 2009

Councils targeted for pollution

Twenty-four local councils dumped raw sewage into South Africa’s rivers between 2004 and August this year, Water Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica has told Parliament.

A major source of concern is the Wilge River, which feeds the Vaal Dam, the source of most of Gauteng’s drinking water. Reports by the water department and Rand Water show worrying levels of faecal discharge in the river.

Sonjica said that in July and August five directives were issued to Frankfort’s Mafube council because of sewage spills. The municipality has not responded.

This week Mafube manager Nakane Masoka said the spills happened last year and the problem was now solved. A spot check by water affairs officials this week revealed no pollution, he said.

Lötter Wepener, of Save Our Vaal Environment (Save), said that many Free State councils ”have basically collapsed” and could not fix leaking sewerage works. Councils in Warden, Bethlehem and Harrismith have received directives in the past four months.

Save won an interdict against Vanderbijlpark’s Emfuleni council to force it to maintain the Rietspruit sewerage works and stop spillages into the Vaal. The council had been caught discharging at night. Last Christmas the Vaal suffered massive fish deaths after spillage.

Sonjica said the final effluent from Rietspruit breached the Water Act and that ”the department has instituted legal proceedings” against the council.

Eight past and present managers of Welkom’s Matjabeng council appeared in court in August on charges relating to sewage leaks into water courses. Department spokesperson Linda Page said nine other municipal managers were being prosecuted in their private capacities on the same charges. The department’s approach was one of zero tolerance.

But critics say it has historically shied away from tough action against local governments.

Democratic Alliance MP Annette Lovemore criticised the fact that so few councils had responded to directives.
Environmentalists have been concerned about Blesbokspruit — a Ramsar Convention wetland that also feeds the Vaal — since January 2008 when sewage poured in at 10000 litres a minute.

Sonjica said that in June a directive was issued to the Ekurhuleni metro, which had not responded.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Pete Ashton said river spillages often caused a shift towards blue-green algae. ”Some species can produce toxic compounds that pose increased risks to humans and wildlife.”

 

M&G Newspaper