The Democratic Alliance (DA), wrote to the Minister of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries (DFFE), Barbara Creecy, to urgently intervene in the sewage crisis in eThekwini. The city's natural heritage and the local tourism economy is hampered whilst also posing a serious risk to the health and well-being of residents.

Despite the issuing of numerous environmental compliance directives to Ethekwini Municipality by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), and ongoing litigation against the city, Ethekwini Municipality has failed to respond adequately.

The National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) places a responsibility on municipalities to manage and protect the environment within their jurisdiction. It is, therefore, concerning that Ethekwini Municipality has repeatedly failed to comply with NEMA regulations, as evidenced by the numerous non-compliance notices issued to them.

The regular sewage outfalls have wreaked havoc on the local tourism economy as the city's beaches and rivers are intermittently closed due to high E. Coli levels. This week, once again, ahead of the busy April holiday period, beaches in Umhlanga, one of Durban's tourism hot-spots, have been closed due to fears of sewage contamination.

The impact of eThekwini Municipality's inability to manage and maintain its waste water infrastructure is destroying the city's natural heritage which thousands of people rely on for their livelihoods. The impact on the health of residents is also of huge concern as many communities rely on rivers to access water. Further to this, in a recent response to a question from the DA, it was revealed that in ANC-led eThekwini, an alarming 75% of the 27 sewage treatment in the municipality are unable to treat effluent to minimum standards. It is clear that Ethewkini municipality is unable to manage and solve the sewage catastrophe that it is responsible for creating.

The situation has become untenable and requires urgent intervention from Minister Babara Creecy as it has become evident that the municipality is wholly incapable of dealing with the sewage crisis that is destroying the city.

The DA has already embarked on legal action against Ethekwini Municipality to compel the municipality to produce a court-approved plan to address the crisis, and we will continue to fight at every level of government to save our natural heritage and to protect the residents of Ethekwini.

 

Issued by Hannah Winkler MP - DA Member of the Portfolio Committee on Environmental affairs, forestry and fisheries