The Merafong City Local Municipality does not only pollute the environment through damaged infrastructure.
On Thursday, 5 October, an observant citizen notified the Herald that workers driving a honey-sucker truck were dumping the sewage it had sucked up elsewhere onto the side of the road. These trucks suck up excess sewage in areas like parts of Khutsong, where there are severe problems with the sewerage infrastructure. If the excess sewage is not cleared like this, it will spill into the river.
The workers, either employed by the municipality or a municipal contractor, were unhappy about being photographed in the act.
The Herald visited the site shortly after the dumping had occurred. It is by the trees on Station Street near Annan Road, driving from town toward Blybank.
Large volumes of sewage were lying on the ground next to an open, broken maintenance hole, and a stench filled the air. It was evident from the dried sewage in the area that wastewater had been dumped at the site regularly.
“When I worked for the municipality, honey-suckers were supposed to dump their contents at the sewerage works. However, it is also acceptable to dump it into a maintenance hole, provided they do not spill it onto the ground,” a retired municipal employee told the Herald.
The newspaper took the issue to the municipality on Tuesday.
“Residents can empty sewage into a maintenance hole with permission. However, they may not dump it on the ground. The municipality will investigate the dumped sewage and will clean it accordingly.
“The municipality will deal with drivers who pollute the environment, as they are well informed about the dangers of pollution,” replied the acting municipal marketing and communications manager, Ms Nomonde Mahube.
