Note to Broadcasters: Please find linked soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Cllr Portia Burrel.
The DA in the City of Matlosana is concerned with the ANC administration’s complete disregard for the needs of residents as ANC Councillors were seen throwing an extravagant party on Sunday, 21 April 2024, celebrating the donation of a mine heap to Stilfontein by Harmony Gold Mine, while the residents of Stilfontein continue to bear the stench of raw sewage flowing in the streets and contaminating the Republic Dam.
Stilfontein residents are living under hazardous conditions that force them to wear masks due to the unbearable stench of raw sewage. Parents have also been forced to prevent their children from playing outside for fear of risking exposure to disease.
The neglect by the City of Matlosana to address this environmental crisis spanning years has led to devastating consequences, with a significant loss of aquatic life in the dam, and some residents experiencing respiratory health issues.
The community’s frustration is compounded by the lack of accountability by the ANC-led Matlosana government. Despite legal action initiated by the DA in 2020 against key figures within the municipality, including the then Municipal Manager, Theetsi Nkhumise, and the then Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipal Manager, Shirley Mabedi Lesupi, the sewage spill problem persists without a permanent solution in sight.
In response to this ongoing sewage crisis, the DA in Matlosana will request the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate the negligence of the municipality in addressing this crisis and the failure to ensure that residents live in an environment that is clean, and healthy.
We will continue to apply pressure on the municipality to promptly address the sewage spill by repairing the leaking pipes and rehabilitating polluted areas and the dam.
Residents deserve better. They can rescue South Africa from the current collapse and change the dismal picture we currently see by voting DA on 29 May 2024. We will build a capable state that implements plans and solutions meant to benefit all South Africans.
