Dead fish found in stream
Sewage and white sludge plagues Randfontein's animal life.
Farms in Elandsvlei have suffered mysterious losses of their animals not to mention the nasty smell that fills the air and stench running through their properties.
The stream that runs through the farms is the very same Greenhills stream that was in the 27 July, 2015 edition of the Herald that was reported to be have turned a milky white with a thick bubbly fat-like substance on the surface.
Along the stream running parallel to Rietbok Road (also known as the Tweedeboats dam), there is a pipe that looks and smells like it is leaking sewage into the stream.
The Herald proceeded to investigate the rest of the stream and found the water runs through farms in Elandsvlei. A total of three farms were visited by the Herald to investigate the affects of the stream on local animal life.
The first farm the Herald visited had two dams on the property that are closely situated next to the stream both of which the residents assisted to remove the fish (carp) as a result of them dying off. Four fish could still be seen floating belly-up in the water.
The neighbouring farm to the one where the fish have been dying was also visited where the Herald found a resident named Brenda Khoza who said she boils and uses the stream water to bathe because she does not get water on her property.
In the 31 January, 2015 edition of the Herald Johan Meyer quoted the Department of Water Affairs’ spokesperson Themba Khumalo saying,
The department views the pollution of the country’s rivers and dams and the illegal abstraction of water resources as a serious transgression on the National Water Act and warns those breaking the law that action will be taken against them.”
The Randfontein Local Municipality has been approached for comment on the matter in a bid to find the route of the problem.
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Also read:
Greenhills stream possibly contaminated
Greenhills stream an environmental nightmare
Greenhills stream pollution continues
No life left in Greenhills spruit
Water pollution ignored in Randfontein
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