Jackaroo Park ‘black water’ under the microscope
The worse part is that from the stream crossing the R555 old Middelburg road, this water then flows into the Olifants River.
A clean surface and fresh smell are what one expects after a downpour of summer rain. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Jackaroo Park, eMalahleni.
Maureen Scheepers, the Democratic Alliance Ward Councillor for Ward 20, where Jackaroo Park is situated, has taken on yet another environmental challenge in the Ward.
“I first reported the black water flow coming down from the field at the railway line in Booyong Street on October 24 after a resident notified me after a rainy day,” explained Scheepers.
On the first occasion that a resident reported the black water running down the road to Scheepers, no water samples could be found for testing.
On November 8, eMalahleni experienced a heavy downpour. Scheepers was in the area busy with community work when she stopped in Booyong Street and witnessed a stream of black water pouring down from the field above the railway where numerous mining activities have been taking place for years.
“I stopped and started taking videos and pictures of the water and the habitat around the seemingly polluted water. I then proceeded to follow the stream of water down into Anna-Maria Street, over Eileen Street and down Elsie Street where the water then flows from this dead-end street into the steam situated in Elsie Street,” said Scheepers.
She proceeded to the R555 old Middelburg road where water from that specific stream runs into. “To my dismay I found the black water combining with the normal brown water that you would expect after a storm. The water was visibly split in half, black on one side and brown on the other. The worse part is that from the stream crossing the R555 old Middelburg road, this water then flows into the Olifants River.”
Scheepers continued to document her route with video evidence and pictures.
“I contacted the Environmental Department and informed them of my findings, samples were taken and we are currently waiting for the test results to determine what exactly is in this black water,” said Scheepers.
The matter was reported to all relevant departments and authorities including the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) for a full-scale investigation.
“There is nothing I despise more than pollution, and if these results come back positive for any form of pollution. I will leave no stone unturned to bring the guilty parties to book,” Scheepers concluded.
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