Note to Broadcasters: Please find linked soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Cllr Arista Annandale
The DA in the Ngaka Modiri District Municipality will write to the Municipal Manager, Alan Losaba, requesting him to investigate the allegations of municipal negligence after a pipe burst on the main sewer line along the Bray Road in Mahikeng a few weeks ago, which left residents ill. See images here, here and here.
The DA conducted an oversight visit to the Bray Road area this week and saw discharge forms stipulating that residents from Phola were hospitalised due to overexposure to the toxic gasses from the sewage spill.
It is further alleged that the lime neutralisation process that was to be conducted by the municipality, was not up to standard. Residents state that the lime was delivered but that they had to do the work themselves without any personal protective equipment.
Clearly, the municipality failed and now faces the possibility of more hospitalisations and possible legal action by those affected, a situation that could have been avoided had the correct measures been taken from the start.
When the DA visited the area about two weeks ago, residents alleged that small animals died after being exposed to the sewage spill.
We contacted Municipal Manager Losaba, who assured us that the municipality will take all necessary steps to ensure that the health of residents will be prioritised.
The DA demands that a report about this matter be made available after a thorough investigation has been conducted and that disciplinary action be taken if officials are found guilty of misconduct or dereliction of duty.
This pipe burst also contributed to the thousands of fish that died in the Setumo dam. After visiting the dam, the DA laid charges with the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate the quality of water distributed to residents and also how living conditions have been affected by the spillage into residential areas.
We further reported the municipality to the Green Scorpions to investigate the extent of the damages to the ecosystem.