Dispute over sewage remains unresolved
Masiphumelele residents claim City has yet to clean canals
EARLIER this year, the City of Cape Town was instructed by the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, to clean Masiphumelele’s sewerage-filled canals. But according to the community nothing has been done since the issuing of the directive in January.
The directive reads: “You are causing significant pollution and/or degradation of the environment, which constitutes a significant danger to the health of the inhabitants of Masiphumelele township.
“You are hereby directed to undertake the following in respect of the area. Immediately undertake a thorough and effective clean-up operation of the stormwater canals.
“Diligently continue with regular maintenance of all the toilets, washing facilities, standpipes, canals and all other stormwater and waste water, infrastructure and respond promptly and effectively to reported problems.”
Rosemary Milbank, a community activist in Masiphumelele, said the five canals have not been cleaned and was still filled with sewerage, which issued from broken toilets.
In response, Xanthea Limberg, mayoral committee member for informal settlements, water and waste services and energy said the cleaning of the storm-water canals “is happening on an almost daily basis. Residents are however still using the canals as a general dump site for food waste and other refuse, which causes the area to deteriorate rapidly”.
Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for transport and development, added: “The City is also currently undertaking a pilot project to divert storm-water from these canals into the sewerage system.
“The plan for this pilot has just been completed and costing for this project is under way. The pilot will form part of the wash house structure. Depending on the success of the wash houses, this model may be replicated.
“This aims to improve the quality of effluent that drains into the wetland.
“Dredging of canals is currently carried out quarterly, or more frequently if budget allows. It should be noted that dredging operations are rendered difficult by the density of human settlement in the area.
“We are currently looking to the option of deepening the outlet channels into the wetlands by making use of the new amphibious excavator.”
Dumsani Nhlapo, a community worker in Masiphumelele, said the City wanted to deliver more portable flush toilets yesterday after they had delivered 100 on Saturday.
“But we as the residents rejected it because we don’t want it. We are extremely unhappy about it. This also not in agreement that they would provide flushing toilets and not these portable ones.
“What they can do is to also fix all the broken toilets in the community then the sewerage will not flow into the canals.”