‘Our water is monitored’: Stellenbosch responds to sewage dumping allegations

Stellenbosch Municipality says there is no issue with its water quality and the staff who conduct tests are well trained.

This after non-profit civil rights organisation AfriForum announced it had commissioned an independent and accredited laboratory “to undertake comprehensive water tests and… investigate rumours of the dumping of untreated sewage into the Veldwagters and Eerste rivers”.

Their announcement came a year after they first submitted a request to the municipality to have the quality of the area’s drinking water made public through the Promotion of Access to Information Act, which the municipality refused.

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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Why Stellenbosch refused AfriForum

Stellenbosch Municipality spokesperson Stuart Grobbelaar told The Citizen on Monday the town was proud of its “transparent and collaborative approach” with stakeholders and it values its relationship with AfriForum.

“We have already had many positive and constructive discussions, confirming that our shared goal is the protection of the environment and the well-being of our communities,” Grobbelaar said.

“On September 29, 2023, Afriforum submitted a request under the Promotion of Access to Information Act, seeking comprehensive information—not just water quality results.

“The municipality handled this request in line with legal requirements, providing information that could be legally shared while certain documents could not be disclosed due to confidentiality considerations.”

The spokesperson said while the municipality warmly received AfriForum’s representatives for a constructive meeting in August, where relevant issues were discussed, Stellenbosch “politely declined” the support services offered by AfriForum. This because the municipality is “bound by applicable procurement legislation”.

When AfriForum sent a follow-up letter, the municipality reiterated this on the basis of ensuring transparent procurement processes.

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Stellenbosch water ‘audited and monitored’ by independent organisations

“Afriforum members visited the Stellenbosch Wastewater Treatment Plant without prior approval or an appointment to conduct independent testing. As with any other municipality, public access to these types of sites is restricted for safety and regulatory reasons.

“We kindly referred Afriforum to the Office of the municipal manager to request formal approval for access.”

Grobbelaar said the town’s water is “audited and monitored by various independent organisations”.

There are also staff responsible for testing water quality and regularly reporting the results.

“The municipality confirms that there is no issue with our water quality.

“We are continually improving staff skills and making further appointments to ensure we can provide safe drinking water to our residents and ensure that water pumped back into the river meets the accepted standards set by the Department of Water and Sanitation.”

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