Don’t restrict open debate
THE PHILIPPI Horticultural Area Food and Farming Campaign (PHA-FFC) is concerned the Water Research Commission (WRC)’s integrity was compromised on February 28 by holding the “Dialogue on Marine Sewage Outfall and Impact in Desalination” behind closed doors.
We now know that the City of Cape Town hosted the dialogue, changed the venue and restricted access.
Civil society has a constitutional right to access to information and be part of the conversation and decision-making process with regards to our future water supply. We would like WRC to be more forthright in defending the rights of organisations such as ourselves who you know and have a good working relationship with when dealing with the City which – as an institution – routinely excludes their citizens.
The issue of Persistent Organic Pollutants is a global issue and a very controversial issue in Cape Town. Some 36 million litres of raw sewage is dumped into our ocean every day and this, as the 2017 peer reviewed Petrik study demonstrates, is a serious environmental issue. This is now also a very serious potential public health issue as elements in the City pursue desalination as a new water supply.
We note the SA Water Quality Guidelines does not recognise (Persistent Organic Pollutants) POPs.
We note that South Africa is a signatory to international conventions that seek to eliminate harmful POPs from our life, and urgent local legislation is required in pursuance thereof.
We note that new measures are required to stop sewage disposal into our oceans.
We note that proper independent testing and rigorous monitoring for POPs is required as the City of Cape Town and the country pursue various unconventional water supplies.
The City and Western Cape provincial government has failed gigantically in being transparent and open with regard to the water crisis. They also routinely violate citizens’ constitutional rights to participate in decision-making and right to access to information.
We trust that you will assist us in ensuring that where WRC is concerned and involved, the City’s disgraceful conduct in dealing with its citizens will in future, be shunned. The PHA Campaign has filed a large court case which challenges in particular, this aspect of the CoCT’s approach. We further state: Water is a gift from the Creator. The Bill of Rights grants every South African the constitutional right to have access to sufficient water and food.
Plants, living species and ecosystems have a fundamental right to water.
Water belongs to all of us to be shared equitability.
The twin pillars of water security are conservation and social justice. Water belongs to future generations. Water is a public trust. Water is part of the global commons. Water is not for sale nor can it be sold. Water has rights that must be protected by law.
The PHA Campaign urges the WRC to re-hold this dialogue in an open forum where civil society can be informed about this critical matter. The PHA Campaign will be happy to facilitate such a dialogue.