After having his cattle and many fish die from alleged contamination in the water, he wants answers as soon as possible.
He claims that a company in Welgedacht is washing its waste straight into the wetland.
“The Blesbok River has been greatly chemically polluted by negligence by some companies up the stream,” says Tamuka.
The health specialist alleges that the chemical found in the water is Cyclohexene which is a colourless liquid, insoluble in water and is not very stable upon long-term storage with exposure to light and air because it forms peroxide.
Charles van der Merwe, who is a trained environmentalist and is involved in many aspects concerning the Blesbokspruit, agrees that there is pollution taking place in the Blesbokspruit and has taken samples of the water to be examined.
Tamuka claims that his animals are dying almost daily due to the contaminated water.
“I lost more than 10 000 koi fish in a single day as well as many tilapia fish, my cows, sheep and goats are dying every day,” claims Tamuka.
Tamuka was breeding the fish to sell and had them swimming in a large dam situated on the plot.
He also claims to have lodged many complaints with Disaster Management but was told that the situation was not considered a disaster.
The local resident who lives on a plot in Welgedacht is concerned about the wildlife that lives in the wetland as well as the potential for serious harm to all the citizens of South Africa.
“I feel it is my duty as a public health specialist, and secondly as a citizen of our beloved country, to inform and alert whoever uses the water from the Blesbok to be cautious,” says Tamuka.
Patrick Ganda, Blesbokspruit reserve manager, has confirmed that the water is contaminated and that samples have been sent off for testing.
The metro has not commented yet regarding the allegations of contaminated water in Blesbokspruit.
