Alarm raised over sewage pollution

Thabazimbi – As reported in Platinum Bushvelder’s 30 June issue, the Crocodile River tested positive vibrio cholera. The Thabazimbi Local Municipality responded on the issue saying: “None of our water sources are connected to the river. The municipal water is free from cholera. We appeal to community members staying close to the Crocodile River to refrain from drinking and using the water from the river”. 
In the meantime, social media has been abuzz about the cause of the contamination. According to a press release issued by the Freedom Front Plus Limpopo chairperson Marcelle Maritz on Thursday 6 July 2023, The FF Plus has lodged another complaint with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) because of water sources which are being polluted by sewage.  
Extracts from the 6 July FF Plus press release, “The communities of Rooiberg, Raputi and Leeupoort fear that their health may suffer, and that the local ecosystem may be seriously damaged seeing as untreated sewage from the Thabazimbi wastewater treatment plant is flowing into the Rooikuil tributary which, in turn, flows into the Crocodile River.
In addition to the fact that the wastewater treatment plant has never been fully functional, a power cable was stolen about five weeks ago and it still has not been replaced.
Conserving nature is of crucial importance for both humans and animals, and the municipality must fulfil its obligations towards the community by properly providing services.
The pollution of water sources must not be tolerated seeing as water is already extremely scarce in Limpopo.” 
The FF Plus has been raising the issue of spillage from the Thabazimbi Wastewater Treatment Works WWTW since 2019. Since then, the TLM has been under the leadership of both the Democratic Alliance and the African National Congress (ANC). Part of Platinum Bushvelder’s inquiry to the FF Plus was for information on the date, organisation and results of tests confirming the contamination into the Rooikuilspruit which drains from Thabazimbi in a southerly direction where it meets up with the Crocodile River, but we have not received feedback on that. 
While governing bodies should be held accountable for service delivery, it is important to note that crime and loadshedding also contribute towards the spillage of the WWTP. To prevent failure of the wastewater system, the theft of electrical cables in the area needs to be addressed and a solution for the proper functioning of the wastewater treatment system during loadshedding also needs to be put in place. Platinum Bushvelder will continue to monitor the situation and report on any updates.