Dear Mr Executive Mayor,
On Tuesday, May 18, the Cape Argus published an article titled: "Stink over 'illicit' disposal of waste water effluent in Table View reserve“.
It is imperative that you give the citizens of our city a full response to the allegations made by conservation group ReThinkTheStink that the City was “caught redhanded disposing of waste water effluent into Table View Nature Reserve and Diep River through an illegal discharge point”.
The pollution of Diep River has been a hotly debated matter in our Spatial Planning and Environment Portfolio Committee. If there is any truth to the allegation, it will cause many of us to be as extremely angry as the people who have to live with the daily stench emanating from the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Works.
Many months ago, the City publicly admitted that there were operational challenges at Potsdam. In 2019, for instance, the problem was with the UV sterilisation and de-watering processes.
In order to upgrade the system, a new Membrane Bio-Reactor unit was going to be added to improve the situation there. Did that happen, and how has it improved the situation?
On May 17, the Daily Voice reported that angry Athlone residents were demanding answers from the City after officials were allegedly caught dumping raw sewage into a canal last week. Is the City dumping raw sewage? An independent investigation has to be triggered. The official version can’t be relied on.
Something is stinkingly wrong, Mr Mayor.
On Monday, I submitted a compilation of blocked sewer drains in Khayelitsha to the sub-council 10 meeting. There were 64 incidents in the sub-council 10 area between April 15 and April 30.
The people of Cape Town should not have their noses assailed by the stench of sewage. It is an affront to their dignity. Will you please initiate an independent investigation and table the findings at a full council meeting?
* Farouk Cassim, Cope. Century View.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Newspapers.
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