SASOLBURG – A serious sewage leak that plagued the Bongani Mabaso Eco Park Nature Reserve and resulted in serious water pollution has been repaired.

Following AfriForum’s urgent letter to the Metsimaholo Local Municipality on May 20, the leak was finally repaired this month, and the overflow of raw sewage into dams in the reserve and surrounding areas was put to an end.

“For several months, sewage flowing from a manhole in the reserve has been contaminating water sources that serve as drinking places for the reserve’s wildlife.

“This contamination also posed a risk to the wider ecosystem and community, as the contaminated water flowed into The View on Vaal Resort (formerly known as Abrahamsrust) and ultimately the Vaal River, a critical water source for the region,” explains Alta Pretorius, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Mooi River.

“We appreciate that the municipality has carried out the necessary repairs, but this problem has dragged on for too long and caused serious damage to the environment.

“We hope that the repairs that have been carried out will not only be sustainable, but that the municipality will now also prioritise preventive maintenance to prevent similar disasters.”

AfriForum is currently monitoring the situation to ensure that the sewerage system in Eco Park does not fail again.

The organisation emphasises that the protection of water resources and the environment is the legal and moral responsibility of the municipality, as stipulated by Section 24 of the Constitution, the National Environmental Management Act and the National Water Act.

“Communities should not bear the consequences of poor municipal governance. We will continue applying pressure where necessary to ensure that similar incidents do not occur again,” Pretorius concludes.

* You can make a difference by joining AfriForum’s Sasolburg branch today. Contact Braam Muller (076 125 7773) for more information.