Today the Democratic Alliance (DA) will file a complaint with the Environmental Management Inspectorate (Green Scorpions) against the Sekhukhune District Municipality.

These charges will be laid for contravening Section 107 of the National Environmental Management Act and Section 24 of the Constitution for failing to fix the sewage spillage into the Flag Boshielo Dam.

The Act clearly stipulates that people have a right to a healthy and clean environment, but this is sadly not the case for the Leeuwfontein community of Marble Hall.

During an oversight inspection at the Mokganyaka water plant this week, the DA confirmed that the plant is in a poor state of repair. Working pumps are too small and one pump has been broken for years and as a result, the reticulation of water is inefficient.

However, the sewage from Leeuwfontein does not even reach the plant and runs past the water works in ditches. (see photos here, here here and here)

These ditches meet up with the Olifants River that runs into the Flag Boshielo Dam where the sewage flows into the dam, causing environmental damage to plant and aquatic life.

This situation is a health hazard. Cattle and goats drink from these ditches and children were seen playing close by. The stench is unbearable and can be smelt as far as two kilometres away.

The DA is committed to ensuring that the environment is protected and Section 24 of the Constitution, which guarantees that every individual enjoys the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being, is upheld.

We hope that the Green Scorpions will attend to this matter urgently as we cannot continue to put the health and safety of our residents at risk.

 

Issued by The DA