Note to Broadcasters: Please find a linked soundbite in English by Cllr Nicole Gelderblom.
The DA in the City of Matlosana is appalled at what we found following an oversight inspection at the Zandpan pump station in Matlosana this week. Our visit follows numerous complaints received from residents in Stilfontein regarding kilometers of raw sewage flowing from Stilfontein into the Dawkinsville spruit, which flows into the Vaal River.
We identified a number of concerns at the pump station. Workers present were unable to complete any tasks because they lacked the necessary equipment. Equipment shortages affect the entire Matlosana Municipality and are a major factor in delivering services to residents.
The pump station is in dire need of maintenance and upgrades. For months, the Zandpan pump station in Stilfontein has been dysfunctional.
In addition, the pump station’s aged infrastructure, the asbestos pipelines, and criminal vandalism further exacerbate the problem. Vandalism is also a contributing factor as well as the illegal dumping of objects into manholes, places an additional strain on the fragile sewerage system.
The overflowing raw sewage is a health hazard to residents and pollutes the environment. Sewage can be seen flooding homes and even an electricity pole regularly short circuits because of the raw sewage. See image here.
A resident informed the DA that the noxious gases in the neighbourhood are making it difficult for his elderly wife, who underwent surgery recently, to recover. He also said that this is the worst sewage spill he has seen during the 40 years they have lived here. See image here.
However, this is only what the naked eye can see. A small sewage river flows through a meadow behind the pump station and travels many kilometers in the direction of Klerksdorp. Behind the pump station, large sewage dams could be found by following the railway tracks.
It is an absolute disgrace that the City of Matlosana continues to ignore this clear violation of human rights.
The DA will lodge a complaint against the City of Matlosana with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) for denying residents their basic human rights on grounds of Section 63 of the Water Act of 1997. The SAHRC should investigate the municipal water and sewerage reticulation systems in Matlosana and make binding recommendations to correct the dire situation as a matter of urgency.