Just about every single municipality in the Free State has raw sewage flowing into rivers, streams and wetlands. And the catchment areas of the Free State feed some of the most important rivers and dams in South Africa.
Ladybrand sewage works only function at 25% and that tests have shown that water flowing out of the sewage plant is almost just as contaminated as the water flowing in. This contaminated water then flows in the Cathcart dam and the dam is the town’s water supply and the water stinks.
The natural wetlands area in the area of Wesselsbron which is full of sewage is causing the ground water of farmers in the area to be contaminated as well. Tests have shown the presence of the bacteria ecoli. A sewage plant that was built at a new housing development was looted by thieves. When people moved into the houses, there was no sewage works and the sewage just flows into the field.
Blocked sewage pipes in Bothaville cause the filth into the Vals River and raw sewage is also flowing into the Vals River at Kroonstad. Sewage has also been contaminating the Wilge River at Frankfort and Harrismith for months now. The Wilge River is flowing into the Vaal River which feeds the Vaal dam.
In Welkom raw sewage is flowing under the R30 outside town and into the Flamingopan and Wolwepan (wetlands areas). The ground water of farmers in the area is affected and sewage is flowing into the Mostert Canal at Witpan on the other side of Welkom, then into the Sand river which feeds the Aldam outside Ventersburg.
Afriforum says tests have shown that the drinking water at Parys on the Vaal River is contaminated with sewage. For this reason they have approached the High Court last Monday to force the local municipality to provide clean water to the people of the town.
The FF Plus in the Free State says that the ANC provincial minister responsible for Cogta did not show up at 2 occasions now at a meeting of the Provincial legislature’s committee for Public Accounts where problems regarding municipalities were supposed to be discussed.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
