The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo has filed a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against the Department of Health and Mopani District Municipality following an oversight visit conducted by members of the party to Letaba Hospital on Monday. The members allegedly found that a pump station meant to pump toxic waste to a purifying plant has been inoperative for a period of six months, causing medical waste to flow directly into the Letaba River.
Lindy Wilson, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Health said they found human excrement, blood, toxic and other dangerous medical waste spewing from the hospital directly into the Letaba River.
The reason for the inactive pump station is ostensibly the result of Eskom removing the breakers for the pump station last year, rendering it useless, Wilson stated, adding that this is apparently due to the excessive debts owed to Eskom by the Mopani District Municipality.
“Less than 200 metres down the river from the hospital, people were bathing and further down a water truck was found pumping water out of the river, possibly to sell to people in the area. We will not sit by and allow the lives of vulnerable communities to be put at risk due to the mismanagement and carelessness,” stressed Wilson.
Department of Health spokesperson, Thabiso Teffo said the matter regarding the pump station does not involve the department but the municipality because they failed to pay Eskom which resulted in termination of services. He further said the department was engaging with the two parties to resolve the matter, adding that the department will never do anything to put the lives of the people in danger.
Mopani District Municipality spokesperson Neil Shikwambane could not be reached for comment, as his phone rang unanswered while Eskom’s Customer Relations Manager Hilton Rampedi said he was not aware of the matter but pledged to follow it up.
In a separate incident, the party also filed a complaint with the commission against the Department of Education last Friday after allegedly discovering that learners at Makangwane Secondary School in Nonpapella village, Senwabarwana are taught under trees. The school, said to have been built with mud in 1989 by members of the community, currently has 105 learners and five teachers and is plagued by challenges ranging from poor infrastructure and a severe shortage of adequate resources such as classrooms, desks and chairs.
DA Provincial Leader Jacques Smalle reportedly said: “According to the Basic Education’s Minimum Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure approved by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga in 2013, it indicates that all schools built entirely from mud should have been eradicated by 2016. It is clear that the department has failed these learners and educators and to fulfil its own mandate, which is to provide a conducive environment for learning and teaching.”
Department of Education spokesperson, Sam Makondo said the matter was receiving attention and reiterated that the district manager engaged the community on Monday and processes to have the matter resolved were underway. When asked if the allegations highlighted by the DA were true, Makondo ditched the question and responded by saying Makangwane was a small school with 104 learners this year and the enrolment has been declining.
SAHRC Provincial Manager, Victor Mavhidula confirmed that they received complaints from the DA.
Story & photo: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za
