The DA has laid criminal charges against the Acting Municipal Manager of the Joe Gqabi District Municipality (JGDM) after he failed to address a massive sewage spill in Burgersdorp in the Walter Sisulu Local Municipality.
The JGDM is responsible for the provision of water and sanitation services to Walter Sisulu, but has failed dismally in doing so.
The spill poses an ecological and health disaster to the people of Burgersdorp and especially in Thembisa on the outskirts of the town. More than 6000 people reside in this neighbourhood. (pictures here, here and here)
A dysfunctional sewage pumpstation, tasked to pump raw sewage to the wastewater treatment works in Burgersdorp, is the direct cause of this crisis. The pumpstation does not house a pump and there is no electricity to the building.
On 12 December 2022 I wrote to the Acting Municipal Manager requesting him to intervene and find a solution to the sewage crisis by 12 January 2023. I also informed him that failure to do so would force the DA to lay criminal charges in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA). I received no confirmation of receipt from the Acting MM and the sewage spill has worsened.
Today, 12 January 2023, I was joined by Cllr Matthee Nel in laying charges at the Burgersdorp Policie Station.
NEMA provides that the party responsible for producing the pollution must also be responsible for paying for the damage done to the natural environment.
The act also specifies that the costs of remedying pollution, environmental degradation and consequent adverse health effects and of preventing, controlling or minimising further pollution, environmental damage or adverse health effects, must be paid for by those responsible for harming the environment.
The DA will hold the ANC government to account and will fight to ensure that environmental crimes do not go unpunished.