Municipality fires back at angered residents

Following an article published in the Herald on 8 June titled Residents up in arms, the Randfontein Local Municipality has fired back at residents saying that they are doing their part to ensure that the sewage pump in Toekomsrus runs smoothly and are not to blame for the sewage that floods the streets.

Residents expressed their anger at the fact that they are made to live with sewage that flows down their streets right next to their homes owing to the municipaliy’s failure to mantain the sewerage pump in their area.

The municipality says that it is not their fault that the pump is in its current condition, however they will continue to maintain it as they have apperently been doing so throughout.

According to the Municipal spokesperson Lucky Chiya, the sewerage pump station in question has been subjected to vandalizm almost every week.

“Not long ago, the municipality did maintenance and upgraded the pump station.

“We erected new perimeter fencing around the pump in order to protect it from vandalism,” says Chiya.

He adds that there are municipal officials deployed to safeguard the pump station and ensure its safety and proper operation.

“We have established that the pumps are often vandalised by scavengers who deliberately tamper with the pump station in order to gain access and search for gold and platinum accessories.

“We are really stretching our resources in order to make sure that further vandalism does not take place,” says Chiya.

He warns that anyone caught trespassing on the premises will be handed over to the police and will be dealt with by the might of the law.

“We call upon the community and ward councilors to report such tendencies to the municipality and the police.

“It is through such efforts that we will be able to put such activities to a halt,” says Chiya.