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No end in sight to Wentworth sewage crisis

Residents are calling for national government intervention in the ongoing sewage crisis at the Southern Waste Water Treatment Works.

AN environmental activist representing the Wentworth and Merebank areas is fighting to have the rights of the community protected.

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Air Quality and Health Officer for South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, Bongani Mthembu, has approached the office of the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, to intervene in an ongoing sewage crisis.

The crisis at Southern Waste Water Treatment Works (SWWTW) in Merebank has forced nearby communities to seek an urgent intervention from national government.

In a letter seen by the SUN, Mthembu said residents of Merebank and surrounding communities within the eThekwini Municipality are concerned about the persistent issues emanating from the SWWTW plant.

Also read: Sewage crisis sparks outcry: Residents demand probe into eThekwini’s infrastructure decay

“This matter has become a serious health and environmental crisis, and our numerous attempts to engage with local authorities have been met with little to no response.

“The unbearable stench of untreated sewage from the SWWTW has rendered our communities unable to enjoy basic daily activities, such as having meals, due to the nauseating odour.

“This has compromised our right to a clean and healthy environment as enshrined under Section 24(a) of the Constitution of South Africa. Furthermore, the health and well-being of residents are deteriorating daily, adding further strain to an already vulnerable community that has historically endured decades of air pollution from nearby industrial operations,” said Mthembu.

He said the ratepayers are frustrated by the lack of action and feedback from the authorities.

“The community has resorted to organising peaceful protests to express their grievances and demand urgent intervention; a memorandum was handed to the senior person Lusapho Tshangela from the eThekwini Municipality Water and Sanitation Department on December 2.

The residents urged Majodina to:

  • Direct senior officials from both provincial and local government to urgently address this health and environmental concern.
  • Facilitate a comprehensive investigation into the operations of the SWWTW to ensure compliance with environmental and health regulations.
  • Ensure a transparent and inclusive engagement process with affected communities to restore trust and accountability.

“The government’s immediate attention and intervention in this matter would not only alleviate the suffering of the Merebank community but also reaffirm the government’s commitment to upholding the rights of all citizens to a safe and healthy environment,” he added.

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Andile Sithole

He has been covering a variety of news beats for over 10 years. As a journalist working for community newspapers, he has covered politics, court reporting, municipal stories, crime, and news features over the years. Andile is also a multimedia journalist for Southlands Sun. He started his career in journalism as a freelance reporter in 2005 while studying Communication Science at UNISA. Prior to joining Caxton Newspapers, he worked for both community and commercial newspapers in Durban, where he won the Journalist of the Year Award in 2020 and 2021.

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