No sewage spill warning ‘unacceptable’

DEMOCRATIC Alliance KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature member Dr Rishigen Viranna has slammed province and the Ugu District Municipality for a ‘blatant lack of action’ by not warning the public of a sewage spill in Harding.

Dr Viranna said the spill began last week when the Shepstone Street sewerage pump station began to overflow and to spill raw sewage into the Umzimkhulwana River.

“Steps to fix the problem were taken after the DA contacted the Ugu municipal manager directly,” Dr Viranna said.

Most alarming, though, was that no public warnings were issued to those living downstream. This was in spite of the numerous communities in Hluku, Nqabeni and Izingolweni who were still using the river for drinking water as a result of the lack of piped water in these rural areas.

The DA had begun to receive unconfirmed reports from downstream farming communities and tribal authorities of increased cases of diarrhoea, possibly due to drinking contaminated river water. According to information received, the sick had been taken to local clinics.

“I will write to KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, calling for an urgent investigation into these claims.”

He said extra health support should be given to clinics and hospitals should there be a connection between these cases and the current state of the river.

Pointing out that this disaster followed a string of similar sewage spills in the Ugu District, he said the DA regarded the current situation as ‘unacceptable’ as everyone was entitled to clean drinking water and an uncontaminated living environment.

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