Sewerage plant gradually turning into a white elephant
LEEUWFONTEIN/MANAPYANE – The sewerage plant between Leeuwfontein Township and Manapyane Village outside Marble Hall is gradually turning into a white elephant to the grave concerns of residents in the area.
The facility remains unfenced after it was vandalized and residents worry that ease access to the sewerage plant poses safety threats, especially for children.
They further complain that due to Sekhukhune District Municipality’s (SDM) failure to provide running water in the area, raw sewerage filters through from the plant and ends up in the Flag Boshielo Dam.
However, SDM thwarted the residents’ claims that the facility was not operational due to lack of running water.
Moloko Moloto, SDM Spokesperson, said there was no correlation between challenges of water supply and the operation of the sewerage plant.
Moloto further said that the sewerage plant’s fence was being vandalized by people who lived among the local communities.
“We therefore urge our communities to assist us in safeguarding all public properties. The other problem is that we have people who built houses next to the plant, all against advices of the municipality,” said Moloto.
He added that there was currently no budget to fix the vandalized fence at the sewerage plant but in the course of the new financial year, the municipality would explore all options and possibilities to try and have the fence fixed.
Connie Lentsoane, Democratic Alliance (DA) PR Councillor in Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality, said they visited the plant recently and unearthed that it was not operating effectively because of lack of running water in the area.
Lentsoane said they discovered that the blockages that resulted from lack of running water made it impossible for the sewerage plant to effectively serve its purpose and as result; there was a terrible stench in neighbouring settlements from the plant, feared to could cause diseases among communities.
She said they would be circulating a petition in the settlements neighbouring the plant for signatures to be presented to relevant authorities on the dysfunctional state of the facility which has a negative health impact on the residents.
