Factory ‘closes’ over sewage spills into the Vals River

Water supply to a toilet paper manufacturing factory in Kroonstad in the Free State has been stopped and the firm ground to a halt after the Moqhaka local municipality decided to stop environmental pollution caused by effluent from a local industrial area.

The factory was found to have caused sewage spills that contaminated the Vals River, which fed into the Vaal River.

Moqhala municipal spokesperson Dika Kheswa said they took action against the toilet paper factory in the local industrial area where 80 other firms operated from.

He said there are many factories that were involved in releasing effluent into the sewerage system, causing the blockage of the system, but the toilet firm was identified as the main culprit.

“We decided to close their water supply so that there is no production,” Kheswa said.

He said other factories were being investigated for spilling effluent, including oils, chemicals and animal skins, into the Vals River and into the sewerage system.

“We have taken samples to the laboratory. We are waiting for the results before we take more drastic action,” Kheswa said.

He confirmed there had been environmental pollution for some time in the area.

“We know that part of the cemetery was flooded with contaminated water,” Kheswa said.

The action was taken after the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) had been putting pressure on the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and the municipality.

The FF+ took up the matter on behalf of the residents who complained about drinking contaminated water. The party also laid criminal charges against the municipality.

The party yesterday said the factory was closed, but Kheswa denied that, saying they had no authority to close any factory.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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