Emfuleni Municipality is blaming SAVE The Emfuleni Municipality was engaged in discussions at the instance of SAVE for more than eighteen months. SAVE begged and assisted with all its might to get Emfuleni to properly maintain its sewage reticulation. We were met with numerous undertakings and promises which all eventually proved worthless. The municipality continued to disregard the wellbeing of people using the Vaal River and who are dependant on the River for their primary water supply. Emfuleni Municipality continued to pump thousands of mega litres of raw sewage into the Vaal River, without warning River users of the dangers of all the water borne diseases caused by the sewage in the River. This conduct was totally irresponsible and showed a disregard for human life that is endangered by the sewage in the River. SAVE took steps to force Emfuleni to get is maintenance act together and to stop pumping the sewage into the water. It warned River users of the dangers of having contact with such sewage contaminated water. Raw sewage in the water is highly dangerous and can cause illnesses such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery, cryptosporidium cysts and giardia cysts. It also leads to the formation of cyano bacteria in the water which is an extremely toxic algae which can kill off both aquatic and bird life, as we experienced over the past weeks. All of the above was, and is still caused by Emfuleni who now, through one of its councillors, attempts to blame SAVE for obtaining court orders to compel Emfuleni to stop pumping sewage into the River and who warned river users to be aware of the dangers of having contact with the polluted water, of affecting the business opportunities in the Vaal area. Lötter Wepener, chairperson of SAVE said: "If Emfuleni had maintained its sewer reticulation instead of supplying worthless promises for more than eighteen months, this disaster could have been avoided. The transparent attempt to shift the blame to SAVE, is seen by all as not only silly, but yet another attempt by Emfuleni to shirk its duties to maintain the sewer infrastructure. SAVE will approach the High Court again if Emfuleni fails to comply with the court orders. Our aim will then be to place the officials responsible for this ecological disaster behind bars". According to Muir members of SAVE have little interest in the wellbeing of the Emfuleni area. "The suggestion that SAVE members are not entitled to take Emfuleni to task because they "are from Johannesburg" is removed from reality. SAVE members live along the Vaal River and utilise the Vaal for various purposes. Some of its members use the Vaal River as their primary source of water, including drinking water. The Emfuleni arguments are as worthless as their promises over a period of eighteen months and will not change the resolve of SAVE to assure that Emfuleni stiops polluting the water resources of South Africa in the criminal manner that it has done to date". Donations to Save can be made into its account at FNB Vanderbijl Park (25094500) account number 512-900-844-03 – fax payment record to 086 672 9361). Issued by SAVE (Fundraising number 011015200004) |