All indications are that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), who deployed late last year to intervene in the national crisis of Vaal River sewage pollution, is preparing to leave Emfuleni in the near future.
The Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC), one of the organisations that played a major role throughout in influencing and facilitating Government to take action on Vaal River pollution, said the Army had prevented vandalisation and destruction of municipal water and electrical infrastructure. “We really hope that this success with security has not been in vain and that the security capacity which follows will emulate what the Army has done; to keep a permanent presence on site,” said Rosemary Cloete-Anderson, GTCoC spokesperson on Water and Sanitation.
Cloete-Anderson also had high praise for Colonel Andries Mahapa, Commander of the Vaal intervention, but strongly criticised National Government for “inexplicably” not funding the Vaal Army properly so its refurbishment mission could be completed. Although no official communication from either the Defence or Water and Sanitation Ministries has been received on the withdrawal of the Vaal Army, its commander is already on record last year as saying the deployment mandate was between 18 Nov 2018 and 31 October 2019. Stakeholders and civil society organisations are therefore expecting withdrawal to begin any time from 31 October and are preparing accordingly.
Another indication of impending withdrawal of both the Engineering and infrastructure protection elements is that wastewater treatment company ERWAT – to replace the Army in water infrastructure refurbishment – has advertised a security contract including armed response and riot control services. Cloete-Anderson also said that great care needed to be taken with security after the Army withdrawal, as valuable and
refurbished infrastructure would again be vulnerable to vandalism and theft as had been the case before military deployment. However, informed sources said the Army would not simply up and go but would withdraw in staggered organised phases to ensure continuity of work and infrastructure security. Colonel Mahapa declined to comment when approached by Mooivaal Media this week. “Apart from crime, community resistance to ELM and probably ERWAT as well could be expected when the Army withdraws as ELM personnel were already being prevented from working on sites,” informed sources said.
