Watch: Alarm raised as toxic spill kills fish, birds in Msunduzi River

An oil spill below the top weir on the Msunduzi River in KZN has had a devastating effect on aquatic life and the river’s ecosystem, leaving fish and birds dead in its wake and sparking an urgent call for help.

The Litterboom Project, an organisation that fights plastic pollution, discovered the spill on Monday. Dead fish and birds littered the area, creating a terrible stench.

When The Witness visited the site yesterday, a thick layer of slimy and dark oil could be seen floating on the water.

Piles of plastic bottles, bags, and other debris had also accumulated, forming islands of waste in the polluted water.

The Duzi-uMngeni Conservation Trust has sent monitors to investigate the source of the spill and prepare a report for Msunduzi Municipality.

Project manager Lethu Mahlaba expressed shock at the discovery, explaining that oil spills like this are rare, as factories usually follow environmental guidelines.

“This caught us by surprise and needs to be dealt with immediately,” Mahlaba says.

“Our monitors are collecting evidence, and we will compile a report. This spill is particularly devastating because we haven’t had oil pollution for a long time. Our usual challenge is sewage flowing into the rivers, which already has a serious impact on water quality and marine life.”

The spill has compounded ongoing pollution issues in the river. Mahlaba explained that the increasing strain on the region’s ageing sewer system has led to frequent blockages, causing high levels of E. coli in the water.

“The Duzi is already dark from sewage spills, and now the oil spill has added to the damage,” he says.

The Litterboom Project has called for urgent community action, as the environmental toll of the oil spill worsens.

“The spill is about 60cm deep and is hitting the environment and ecosystem hard,” says Josh Redman, the project’s director.

“The Water and Sanitation Department will be taking samples tomorrow to identify the source, and we hope those responsible will be fined for the damage.”

Msunduzi Municipality spokesperson Ntobeko Mkhize says an investigation is underway, with initial findings pointing to an illegal discharge through a stormwater drain.

Environmental activist Rico Euripidou from the environmental justice organisation groundWork criticised the lack of enforcement that allows such disasters to occur.

“There is wilful neglect of the environment, and this neglect has significant economic and health consequences, especially for the rural poor. When pollutants like oil seep into rivers, the entire ecosystem is disrupted,” Euripidou says.

He adds that those who rely on fishing from the river to feed their families are hit hardest by the environmental damage.

“Oil is full of toxic chemicals that are dangerous for marine life, and this pollution affects the very people who depend on the river for survival,” Euripidou says.

In 2019, a massive spillage of 1.6 million litres of vegetable oil and caustic soda into the Msunduzi River left fishermen without an income for months.

Despite several spills over the years, environmental groups continue to call for stronger measures to protect the river and its ecosystems.

Redman says polluters must be held accountable.

“We need swift action to stop this environmental destruction and prevent further damage to the river,” he says.