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ActionSA believes the possible outbreak of Cholera in Walmer Township, Gqeberha, is as a result of ongoing neglect by the metropolitan municipality and provincial government who have ignored our repeated warnings in this regard. In April this year, ActionSA warned Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane of a possible cholera outbreak in a memorandum to his office which he has to date failed to respond to. 

The potential cholera case in Walmer Township underscores the urgent need for attention to longstanding issues in the region's wastewater treatment infrastructure. The constant threat of sewerage flooding both in Walmer Township and other townships in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan is alarming and highlights the concerning state of wastewater management in the province. 

In addition to the daily struggles and health risks faced by the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay, we are deeply troubled by the potential negative consequences, particularly as we are approaching the festive season. An influx of tourists will likely lead to increased demand for water, which means it is paramount that city provides safe drinking water. However, the current state of wastewater treatment facilities raises serious concerns that raw effluent will find its way into water provision facilities. 

As a party committed to the needs of residents, ActionSA has continually highlighted the decline in water safety in the province and issued a statement as recently as 23 November where we addressed a similar in Motherwell where sewage was found flowing into residents’ homes. 

The call by authorities for heightened hygiene practices is therefore unfortunately overshadowed by the pervasive challenges faced by residents living amidst sewage contamination. It is impractical to promote frequent handwashing when there is intermittent access to clean water.

The crisis of wastewater management is particularly evident in the Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) where reports indicate that wastewater treatment plants are critically dysfunctional, with a staggering 12 out of 15 treatment stations inoperable. This poses a severe risk to public health, especially considering the potential discharge of untreated sewage into the Buffalo and Nahoon rivers which are critical water sources for the region.

The situation is further complicated by the lack of compliance at wastewater treatment plants across the province as highlighted by the Public Protector. ActionSA is in the process of litigation against BCM which aims to address these challenges and to ensure the immediate end of raw sewage discharge into vital water sources.

In the case of Nelson Mandela Bay, ActionSA continues to call upon the Nelson Mandela Municipality, Mayor Gary Van Niekerk, the Mayoral Committee For Infrastructure and Engineering Andre Van Der Westhuizen, and Water and Sanitation Director Barry Martin to address the sewerage issues in the Nelson Mandela Bay that has been repetitively reported to them.  

ActionSA will continue to work tirelessly for the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay and the province to ensure that they receive their constitutional right of clean and safe drinking water. For too long the residents of the province have been subjected to poor quality drinking water and dysfunctional wastewater treatment plants, and ActionSA is committed to turning the situation around. 

Issued by ActionSA Eastern Cape Provincial Chairperson, Athol Trollip