Rotten Bushmans’ River….a symbol of a town’s decay?
The pungent odour from the river suggests pollution levels are at an all-time high, a health hazard for those using the river
The Bushmans’ River, once a beautiful sanctuary for Estcourt’s bird wildlife, is now an undulating cesspit emitting a stench as it flows past the town carrying with it the threat of disease.
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The bird sanctuary, once established and cared for by some of Estcourt’s children, is practically lifeless due to the garbage and excrement that now chokes the river.
Faded, rusted signboards are all that remain as a reminder of the sanctuary’s existence and its once abundant wildlife….the river is now merely symbolic of the downward spiral of the town, so believes a local businessman, who fears victimisation should he reveal his name.
“The smell around the river is terrible, you can’t even breathe. There is dirt all over. All of the litter that is dumped around the river washes into it….as a town we are going backwards and not forward,” he explains.
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The pungent odour from the river suggests pollution levels are at an all-time high, a health hazard for those using the river.
“My primary concern is for the people who use the water for drinking and domestic purposes,” he warns, further emphasising that in summer months children swim in the river.
The businessman believes that service delivery seems to be at the heart of the matter with other issues such as faded road markings and litter in the streets of the town being just some of local residents’ concerns.
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Another small business owner, who operates from premises along the banks of the Bushmans’ River, suspects that large amounts of domestic refuse and building rubble is being dumped into the river by local residents and small businesses alike.
The question therefore needs to be asked….is the state of the river really a reflection on bad service delivery by a cash strapped municipality or does it perhaps point to a general lack of pride Estcourt folk now have in their town? Perhaps a community initiative to re-establish the sanctuary and the river’s health would be a good starting point.
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