Sewage disaster in Gauteng: ANC has stopped funding desperately needed infrastructure
The ANC's provincial government in Gauteng must explain why it is busy precipitating a major sewage disaster in the Sedibeng District Municipality.
The provincial government spent R50-million to initiate the R800-million project, but following the election has brought funding to a standstill. Meanwhile, it has emerged that the cost of the project has ballooned to R3-billion.
For the last five years, the municipalities of Emfuleni and Midvaal, which are two of the three local municipalities that make up Sedibeng, were instructed to have in place a short term plan while the Regional Sewer Works was under construction. The Regional Works was scheduled to be online for them to link into by 2010. The DA-run Midvaal Municipality ensured that this short term plan was in place.
However, the provincial government has now brought funding to a halt. With the present Sebokeng Works running at 105% capacity, in the absence of the proposed regional works a major waste disaster is likely to be precipitated - with municipalities left with nowhere to discharge their waste. Sewage may end up in the region's rivers and dams, adding further pollution to what is already the most environmentally damaged area in South Africa.
Further, the failure of the ANC Provincial Government to make good on its pledge has brought development in the area to a grinding halt. As long as the area has nowhere to discharge its waste, new developments cannot proceed. This will be likely to have a devastating effect on unemployment in the area.
The DA will ask the Minister why the project was not properly costed, and why the massive shortfall in funds was not foreseen. The MEC of Local Government in Gauteng as well as the Premier must also urgently inform the affected municipalities as well as Environmental Affairs of their plan of action to avert this impending disaster.
Statement issued by Marti Wenger, MP, Democratic Alliance deputy shadow minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, October 4 2009
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