Human faeces are overflowing from sewers into the wetland near Palm Motors, and is a threat to the health of the surrounding communities.
Freedom Front Plus councillor, Freddy Robertson, said it requested the Green Scorpions to investigate, but to date did not received any feedback.
However, the City of Mbombela (CoM) municipal manager, Wiseman Khumalo, has intervened and summoned the Department of Water and Sanitation to stop the leakage.
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“The pump station has not been rehabilitated and maintained, so the problem persists again and threatens the environment, particularly an endangered plant species named Aloe Simii that is only found in a very small natural geographical area stretching from Sabie southwards to White River and Mbombela,” he said.
Robertson also said the MM has vowed to rectify these issues. The water and sanitation department, with its subcontractors, is busy fixing the outfall sewage pump station below Fairlands Estate, which has been leaking raw sewage, after which it will be placing its focus on the pump station below Tafelberg Street in Colt’s Hill.
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“When these pumps overflow there are two major problems. One is the obvious risk it poses to the wildlife. The other is the huge risk it poses to farmers downstream who use this water for irrigation on their small holdings, where they plant vegetables to sell at their informal trading stations in town. There are countless pathogens and bacteria in this raw sewage with obvious detrimental effects on the health of the residents who use this water,” he said.
Robertson also said the fact that the MM is determined to get these pump stations back to good working order and fully maintained, as well as to find alternative ways to ensure that the sensitive wildlife in the area gets protected from possible spillages in the future, gives him a hope.
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The CoM spokesperson, Joseph Ngala, said they are aware of leakage and its technician is currently on site fixing the problem.
“Residents are encouraged to use the call centre of the CoM as and when they experience these things for prompt response” said Ngala.
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