Note to editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Eleanor Quinta and Sesotho by Cllr Moshe Lefuma.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality welcomes the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) collaboration with MaP Water, Vaal Central Water, and the Free State Department of Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) in their efforts to clean up and educate communities on the importance of clean rivers.
However, we must emphasise that nearly 2 years ago DWS announced an ‘intervention in MaP’ accompanied by over R2 billion budget over several years. DWS then appointed Vaal Central as the Implementing Agent. Vaal Central arrived with great fanfare and R2 billion. To date, none of the sewage treatment plants are operational.
Raw sewage running into our rivers and water sources poses a far greater threat to the well-being of not only our people but also the ecosystems living in them.
The DA lodged a formal complaint with the SAHRC in April and made this issue internationally known. Our rivers are not sewers and dumping sites. MaP Water, together with the MaP Municipality, must consciously and urgently address the fact that raw sewage running into rivers is a threat to human health, safety, and the economy.
We will continue to put pressure on the relevant authorities to ensure that the sewage treatment plants become operational as a matter of urgency. This will protect our water sources, safeguard public health, and preserve our environment.
Failure to address the malfunctioning sewage treatment plants results in raw sewage contaminating our rivers, which poses significant health risks to the community and damages local ecosystems. Ensuring these plants are operational will mitigate these risks and promote a healthier, safer environment for all.