The national Department of Water and Sanitation issued a statement yesterday (9 October) warning communities next to the Harts and Vaal Rivers not to use water directly from these rivers for household purposes due to the presence of cholera.
The warning is mainly aimed at the residents of the Frances Baard and Pixley ka Seme District Municipalities.
The Local Municipalities of Magareng (Warrenton), Dikgatlong (Barkley West and Delportshoop), Sol Plaatje (Kimberley and Ritchie), Siyancuma (Douglas and Breipaal) and Phokwane (Hartswater, Jan Kempdorp and Pampierstad) all fall under these two District Municipalities.
In recent years, cholera was found and reported in the areas next to the Harts and Vaal Rivers because of municipalities’ failure to maintain sewage treatment plants.
The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is currently investigating several Northern Cape municipalities in this regard.
The Departments of Water and Sanitation (both provincial and national) should see to it that municipalities’ sewage treatment plants comply with the minimum requirements, while offering municipalities the support they need to fulfil their constitutional obligations.
A shortage of expert personnel plays a significant role in sewage plants’ dysfunctionality.
The FF Plus is calling on all the relevant role players to urgently intervene and find solutions.
South Africa and the Northern Cape, in particular, are water-scarce areas which cannot afford to have their natural water sources polluted.