The Democratic Alliance (DA) has made an urgent appeal to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) Northern Cape office to take action against Tsantsabane municipality following prolonged sewage contamination of the greater Postmasburg environment.
Longstanding and overbearing sewage spills in Postmasburg have wreaked havoc on the quality of life of local residents, destroying livelihoods and violating residents’ rights to a clean and healthy environment.
Currently, a broken pump has turned a storm water channel behind West Street into a sewage river. This situation has been developing for the last thirteen years and has created a permanent marsh in the veld that borders homes, flats, and guest houses. Residents must drive through sewage to get to their gates. They have lost their appetites and abandoned their yards due to the constant odour permeating their homes. A cow recently fell into a sewage cesspit near the pump and there are fears that children could as well. Children are also falling sick due to the pollution.
This is one of many sewerage failures in Postmasburg due to the worsening state of sewerage infrastructure and the aging and overburdened system.
Tsantsabane was flagged in the 2023 Greendrop Watch Report for its waste water system being in a high risk position, posing a serious risk to public health and the environment. The municipality has also shown significant regression in the management of its waste water system over the last decade, moving from a compliance rate of 83% to 38% but still nothing gets done.
The DA has contacted the provincial office of DWS and we are awaiting feedback on our request for an intervention.
The DA has and continues to raise sewerage related complaints with the municipality, to no avail.
In 2023, we also referred the matter to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), after which they did conduct a preliminary investigation. We have again made contact with the SAHRC, pushing for a speedy intervention.
The people of Postmasburg need more than investigations. They need sewerage infrastructure repairs and upgrades, and an environment free from raw sewage.