AfriForum's charges against manager for sewage spillage into Vaal river 'regrettable': Emfuleni municipality

03 May 2024 - 18:39
By Shonisani Tshikalange
AfriForum says it has, together with several other organisations and community members, spent more than R6m and volunteers worked 80 days in the Vaal River to remove more than 168,000 cubic metres of water lettuce since the start of the year.
Image: AfriForum AfriForum says it has, together with several other organisations and community members, spent more than R6m and volunteers worked 80 days in the Vaal River to remove more than 168,000 cubic metres of water lettuce since the start of the year.

The Emfuleni municipality says the laying of criminal charges against its municipal manager by AfriForum is “unfortunate and regrettable”.

AfriForum announced on Thursday it had laid criminal charges against April Ntulifor the dumping of raw sewage into the Vaal river.

“We have noted the unfortunate action of AfriForum and will defend the institution as this attack on the person of municipal manager is not only unfortunate but regrettable as our doors for engagement with any stakeholder remain open,” said municipality spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni.

Sangweni said the municipality was in the final stages of establishing a special purpose vehicle water and sanitation entity, in collaboration with Rand Water, to deal with sewage spillages into the river and water leakages.

“The spillages across the river are not only from Emfuleni area but cut across various municipalities and provinces,” Sangweni said.

AfriForum also criticised the national government for its lack of commitment to tackling the spread of water lettuce. 

It said, together with several other organisations and community members, it had “been working hard for months to limit the spread of the invasive species and thereby protect the sensitive Vaal river ecosystem”. 

Jaco Grobbelaar, AfriForum’s regional head for the central region, said during a recent public meeting, officials had said the government had only R2m available to spend on the Vaal river crisis.

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