Illegal miners in Brakpan North are taking advantage of the metro’s lackadaisical approach to attending to water leaks.
The miners are making use of water from a major leak in the veld near Grant Street to aid their illegal mining operations.
According to Brandon Pretorius, DA ward councillor for the area, the miners have channelled water from the leak to a small pool, where it is then pumped by means of a generator through a pipe.
The pipe, which Pretorius claims is municipal property, is attached to a home-made angled table, on which the miners sluice the sediment for gold.
Pretorius reported the leak to the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality more than two weeks ago – on Tuesday, October 4 – after it was brought to his attention by a resident of the area.
This resident had also reported the leak to council and contacted Pretorius when no action was taken.
Pretorius told the Herald that this area had been earmarked for residential development, which explains the existence of the water infrastructure in the veld.
He expressed his concern about the leak, especially in light of the metro’s recent appeal to residents to save water at all costs.
“This is clean water just going to waste,” he pointed out.
The City of Ekurhuleni recently implemented a punitive rate to step up measures to save water.
Read: Save water or pay more
Residents using more than 25 kilolitres (kl) of water will be charged a 10 per cent punitive rate.
The 25kl is inclusive of the 6kl of free water supply provided to all household and domestic users.
Businesses and other users will be charged up to a 40 per cent penalty if they fail to decrease their annual average usage by 15 per cent.
This average will be based on their consumption over 12 months, from September 2015 to August 2016.
Restrictions currently in place include that there should be no use of hosepipes, sprinklers or irrigation systems and no filling of swimming pools at all times.
In addition, there should be no watering of gardens between 6am and 6pm.
The Herald requested comment from the metro, but none had been received at the time of publication.
Also read: Explosives found at illegal mining site
Drie mans doodgeskiet, twee beseer naby Anzac
Follow us:
To receive the latest news on your phone:
WhatsApp number: 0794306641 (add us to your contacts and send your name and surname on WhatsApp)
