Meeting about polluted river cancelled at last minute
Isipingo Waste Water Treatment plant's manager and the superintendent had agreed to meet the conservancy's coordinator, Ted Holden, on September 23.
A MEETING between municipality representatives and the Amanzimtoti Golf Club and Conservancy to discuss the state of the Ezimbokodweni River fell through a day before it was supposed to be held.
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eThekwini Municipality’s representatives had agreed to meet the conservancy’s coordinator, Ted Holden, on September 23, together with Isipingo Waste Water Treatment plant’s manager and the superintendent. There had been ongoing complaints from the community and golfers that the river is decaying because of raw sewage released upstream by the treatment plant (Decaying river affects golfers and nature – September 17). On September 22, a day before the meeting was to take place, Holden sent a final confirmation email of the meeting. In that email, he indicated that he had extended an invitation to environmentalists, the local councillor and the media to be present as well. eThekwini replied by cancelling the meeting, saying the external parties had been invited without its consent. In an email seen by the SUN, eThekwini said,
“The meeting we agreed to was between the management of the treatment works and the golf course management. Unfortunately, we have no authority to talk to the media as officials, hence we must decline.”
eThekwini did not respond to requests for comment sent over a course of two weeks. Holden said he felt eThekwini was obliged to meet with more than just the people who voluntarily manage the golf club and the conservancy.
“We are disappointed with their reluctance to meet. All who are part the greater community surrounding the golf club and the conservancy are custodians of this river,” he said.
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