13 OCTOBER 2022

CLARITY ON SEWER SPILLAGES (RESPONSE TO MISLEADING STATEMENT)

Makana Municipality would like to express its disappointment on the statement issued by our own Councillor Cary Clark, in her political capacity in the DA Caucus.

The information contained in the statement is known, as it has been continuously reported to the Portfolio Committee: Engineering and Infrastructural Services, Mayoral Committee and Council. This has even been reported to relevant Sector departments. In the recent past, the Portfolio Committee of the National Department of Corporate Governance has even been taken to the discharge point, to witness the impact of overcapacity into the water courses.

The statement also contains inaccurate information regarding the areas that are affected by the spillages, which this statement will seek to clarify. Our water value system has a start and end point. Our potable water comes from the Glen Melville, Howiesonspoort and Settlers dams. It is then purified for drinking purposes at our water treatment plants.

The dams that have been mentioned in Councillor Clark’s statement are linked to the discharge point of wastewater effluent, coming from Belmont Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant. This is unfortunately an issue that Makana Municipality requires a major capital injection, financially, to deal with. However, spillages from the Belmont Valley WWTW do not affect the community of Makhanda, but communities downstream, including sources of Ndlambe Municipality. This is a situation the Makana Municipality is not proud of; hence we are continuously engaging relevant stakeholders in dealing with the situation.

In the Business Plan of 22/23 financial year, there are plans to kick start refurbishments/upgrades, with the limited funding that has been R31 million which h will assist us to do Phase 1, to ensure that the minimal treatment is taking place, whilst waiting for a long-term solution.

It is rather disappointing for the Municipal Councillor, to use her political cap to cause panic and attack the Municipality, rather than sharing with her constituency and the Public what she and the Council that she serves in, are doing to resolve the problem.

ENDS

Issued by the Makana Local Municipality Communications Office

ON BEHALF OF THE:

MAKANA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY EXECUTIVE MAYOR

HONOURABLE COUNCILLOR YANDISWA VARA