AfriForum commissions laboratory to test Stellenbosch water amid sewage dumping

AfriForum says it is taking matters into its own hands to find out more about the quality of water in Stellenbosch after trying to get the municipality to disclose this for a year.

The non-profit civil rights organisation said this comes amid rumours of the dumping of untreated sewage into the Veldwagters and Eerste rivers.

AfriForum requests report from Stellenbosch Municipality

The organisation said the municipality’s “desperate efforts” to keep facts about the quality of water a secret will soon be a thing of the past.

“AfriForum has already commissioned an independent and accredited laboratory to undertake comprehensive water tests and, among other things, to investigate rumours of the dumping of untreated sewage into the Veldwagters and Eerste rivers,” it wrote in a media release, adding that the findings will be made shortly.

“These steps follow in response to a year-long struggle to obtain information about Stellenbosch’s water quality in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).”

This application was submitted to the municipality in October last year after AfriForum members complained about alleged pollution and sewage discharge into the rivers.

At that stage, AfriForum also took water samples and had analyses done at a local accredited laboratory, which confirmed “dangerous levels of sewage pollution”.

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Stellenbosch Municipality does own water test but refuses to disclose quality

“However, the municipality refused to make the information requested in the PAIA application available to AfriForum and argued that this information is confidential and therefore cannot be released.

“This, despite the fact that the municipality — even before the PAIA application was submitted, indicated that they would provide the necessary reports to the civil rights organisation. AfriForum then filed an appeal, but this was also dismissed.”

AfriForum said it informed the municipality in August it would do its own water tests as part of its annual national blue and green drop project. Here, it will test 330 drinking and sewage water points.

The organisation said while it always informed municipalities of these plans and requested permission and cooperation, Stellenbosch pushed it away.

“On 6 September, AfriForum was informed that the municipality tests the water independently and internally and that it is not standard practice to make the results available before the publication of the Department of Water and Sanitation’s own Blue Drop and Green Drop reports.

“Furthermore, AfriForum was informed that access to the Stellenbosch sewage plant will only be given with permission from the office of the municipal manager.”

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AfriForum hits back, says community ought to know

According to AfriForum’s district coordinator for the Boland, Jacques Benade, the municipality’s handling of the potentially dangerous situation is “extremely worrying”.

“Several attempts at cooperation have been rebuffed. Requests for information are brushed aside under the guise of confidentiality, and in the meantime, contamination is likely to continue,” Benade said.

“The Stellenbosch community is entitled to the truth and reassurance that water quality here is up to standard.”

He said AfriForum would continue to investigate and take steps should the independent study find the water quality is inadequate. It may also take legal action in response to the municipality’s refusal to provide the information requested in terms of the PAIA.

The Citizen has sent questions to Stellenbosch Municipality spokesperson Stuart Grobbelaar regarding the matter. His comments will be published when they are made.

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