The Kou-Kamma Municipality faces legal action for allegedly failing to address the untreated sewage which flows through the streets of Kagiso Heights in Kareedouw, posing a significant risk to residents’ health and safety while contaminating the Krom River, a crucial Eastern Cape waterway.
In a statement released by the Democratic Alliance, Kou-Kamma Constituency Leader, Henni Britz, alleged that on March 18, he wrote to the Kou-Kamma Municipal Manager, Similo Dayi, highlighting the urgent need to address a dysfunctional sewage pump station and leaking underground sewage pipeline in Kagiso Heights.
He said that he demanded a response within seven days, warning that failure to comply would result in criminal charges.
Britz said that having received no response, they took decisive action on April 14.
They laid criminal charges against Dayi and the Kou-Kamma Municipal Executive Mayor, Mpumelelo Vuso, at the Kareedouw Police Station for violating the National Water Act and the National Environmental Management Act.
“During a recent oversight inspection, we found that the pump station, despite a costly multimillion-rand upgrade and solar panel equipment, is non-operational. The broken sewage pipe feeding the pump station has caused raw sewage to visibly seep from the ground in the residential area,” said Britz.
He further said that what may seem like an isolated rural issue has significant downstream consequences.
Furthermore, Britz said that untreated sewage flows directly into a nearby stream, which feeds into the Krom River.
The Krom River ultimately flows to the Impofu and Churchill dams.
“Despite having ample water, the Kou-Kamma Municipality battles with a severe water and sanitation crisis,” said Britz.
He said that laying criminal charges was the only recourse, as the law prohibits any person from unlawfully and intentionally or negligently polluting or degrading a water resource or the environment.
Britz said that those found guilty face fines or imprisonment.
Kou-Kamma Municipality’s Director of Technical Services, Mzi Qalaba, said that the Kou-Kamma Municipality is aware of the sewer spillage problem at Kagiso Heights, Kareedouw.
He said that the municipality has active measures to deal with the situation by contracting a service provider to resolve it as speedily as possible.
However, Qalaba said that the contractor on site has experienced extreme delays in the acquisition of necessary equipment and materials for effecting necessary repairs on the sewer pump station.
“To this end, the service provider has confirmed that they are waiting for the delivery of a pump. In the meantime, the municipality has dispatched the honey sucker daily to alleviate the pressure and further spillages,” said Qalaba.
He further said that the municipality has taken note of the recent media statement released by the DA regarding alleged violations of the National Water Act and the National Environmental Management Act.
“It is important to clarify that the pump station in question underwent an upgrade after it was repeatedly vandalised. The municipality is working with both provincial and national departments in ensuring long-term infrastructure safety and stability,” said Qalaba.
