Environmental issue/project:
Massive pollution of the Vaal River Barrage and downstream
Date: 12 September 218
Name of person reporting: Peter Arderne
Email address: mwardern@mweb.co.za
Phone: 083 4577478
Description of issue:
The problem commenced in July when all of Emfuleni Municipality's sewage plants started to discharge 150 million litres of sewage into the Barrage reservior. This has continued and there have been huge fish kills in the Barrage and downstream plus kills of otters, birds and insects. The Gauteng government has allocated R20 million to fix the problem but to date little progress has been made. For the latest news read http://www.fosaf.org.za/read-YWG-135.php
Review of Issue
Date: 1 February 2022
Report from Chris Williams. Regular updates are included in the YWG reports on the new FOSAF/YWG website. Northern Region FOSAF/YWG maintain their activism including working with other fishing and environmental groups in particular with the SAVE team. Municipalities and Government has not really progressed anything since our report a year ago. The last DWS Minister made many empty promises and she has delivered nothing. Wastewater treatment plants and sewage pump stations in the mid-Vaal region are either inoperable or are decaying with no repairs or renewals. It is however promising to note that many powerful entities including SAVE/FOSAF NR, Afriforum and others, are taking legal action against the offending structures and individuals. This is now fact. It is at a legally-sensitive stage but we will appraise you of the action taking place when it is publicly available. There is a huge call for privatisation which has been shown to work in areas like Harrismith where the general public have united to get things repaired and up and running. It is amazing how a small, determined band of citizens can get things done without the burdens of corruption, inefficiency, apathy and incompetence
