What is this dam k@k?

Klipfontein dam currently reeks like the world’s largest toilet bowl.

Member of the Social Angling Forum, Robbie Price, is convinced that the floating heaps giving rise to the putrid stench are “thousands of turds.” However, head of Technical Services, Vasan Chetty, blames decomposing algae for the stink, and denies that the foul, crusty heaps might be the result of ‘number two’s’ flowing into Klipfontein along Besterspruit.

Mr Price’s senses were assaulted by the fetid odour during a fishing expedition over the weekend.

“I smelled something bad and, upon closer inspection, saw that it was thousands of turds. I couldn’t breathe from the stench. I actually gagged,” said Mr Price. “Cattle are drinking that water and I am concerned about the risk to the animals and to the people who will end up eating those animals.”

Vice chairman of AfriForum, Andre van der Walt, explained that the Bhekuzulu sewerage pump station had been out of order for more than two months.

“On November 21, there was a short but heavy downpour and the Bhekuzulu pump station was submerged under water, which caused the pumps to seize. I nagged the municipality for more than two months to repair it but nothing was done until last week,” said Mr van der Walt.

He believes that the overflow sewage from the pump station had been running into Besterspruit and flowing into Klipfontein dam since November.

“The little water we have left in Klipfontein is green with algae, which is clogging up the filters, and faeces in the water will only make the algae problem worse,” Mr van der Walt continued.

Mr Chetty agrees that the smell is, “unbearable,” but claims that the algae has been standing in the water for so long that it is turning into black clumps as it decomposes.

“We are putting in a net that will hold the algae at the top. I believe that the sewerage pump that was overflowing has now been dealt with. While the pump was out of order, we were drawing out the overflow daily with honeysuckers at a substantial cost. To the best of our ability, we were getting as much out as possible, but I can’t say if anything has been going into Besterspruit,” conceded Mr Chetty.

Residents who detect a foul smell in their water supply are urged to contact the Technical Services Department or the Zululand District Municipality.