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The DA in KwaZulu-Natal today, calls on the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, to urgently free up funding for the reconstruction and maintenance of pump stations damaged during the April floods.

We are also calling for the allocation of an equitable water services infrastructure grant to repair and maintain the eThekwini system that has been increasingly neglected over the past two decades.

This follows a sewage spill at the Isipingo Lagoon from the nearest pump station.

According to the employees at the pump station sewer had to be released on the beach following a non-functional pump that was damaged during the April floods.

The DA conducted oversight at this beach and also engaged with the management at the water and sanitation depot in Jeffels road. According to them private companies affected by the sewer have had to reach in their pockets in order to get some of the pumps in these stations fixed. They also raised concerns about vandalism in pump stations. In the past three months, 12 stations have been vandalized and repairing a vandalized pump costs in the region of R460 000.

It is concerning that the municipality has not cordoned off this area and residents are continuing to fish in the toxic environment.

This severely compromises the health of residents in the surrounding areas and those that continue to eat the contaminated fish.

The DA will write to the Municipal Manager, Musa Mbhele, to query why no safety protocols are in place and further to obtain information on the unit's plans to address these frequent sewage spills.

Issued by Councillor Thabani Mthethwa - DA eThekwini Caucus Leader