The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape is calling on the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to extend its newly launched Vaal River Anti-Pollution Forum (VAPF) to include the Orange River, with which it meets up in Douglas.
Our call comes after DWS yesterday issued a warning to water users along the Vaal and Harts Rivers in the North West and Northern Cape, about the presence of cholera bacteria in the water.
The DA has long been calling for action in response to Vaal River contamination in the province. In 2021, we laid a criminal charge against Magareng municipality in relation to pollution of the Vaal through Warrenton’s dysfunctional Waste Water Treatment Plant. In 2022, we reported concerns about contamination of the Vaal River through the sewerage lake along the R31 between Kimberley and Barkly-West. In 2023, we asked DWS to provide details of the department’s action plan to address the potentially lethal algae bloom in the Vaal River system in the Barkly-West area.
While almost another year has passed, we appreciate last week’s launch of the Vaal River Anti-Pollution Forum by the Deputy Minister of DWS, Sello Seitlholo.
We are, however, just as concerned about the health of the Orange River as we are of the Vaal.
In 2022, the DA laid criminal charges against Renosterberg municipality for raw sewerage flowing into the Orange River in Vanderkloof. Over the years, we have repeatedly reported intermittent incidents of sewage spilling into the Orange River in Upington to the DWS, the South African Human Rights Commission and the Green Scorpions, and most recently we reported concerns of potential contamination further along the Orange River, in the Onseepkans area.
DWS must take our concerns seriously now and not wait for a second crisis to develop.
Both the Vaal and Orange River systems are vital to the survival of the Northern Cape. They must both receive urgent attention to ensure the sustainable supply of clean water to residents of this province in the coming months and years.
The DA has written to Seitlholo asking him to consider our request for expansion of the river forum. Our water sources must be rehabilitated and protected at all costs.