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The seven-week-old sewage spill in Unika Street. The offices of Specialised Oil Extractions and the Pakmark storage facility are located there. Owner Mr Dennis Gilbert said he would give the municipality a chance for a day or two before continuing with legal action against the municipality to obtain results.
Interdict postponed, but still no service
News Date: 05 December 2011
A court interdict to get the municipality to solve a sewage spill in Louis Trichardt’s industrial area was temporarily postponed.
The owner of Specialised Oil Extractions, Mr Dennis Gilbert, said that the Makhado Municipality’s technical director visited their offices in Unika Street, where the spillage is, on Monday.
“Mr Ralulimi and an assistant came to look and said that they had not been aware of the situation. They were very concerned and promised to do something about it. I will give them a chance for a day or two and then do what I need to concerning the legal route,” Gilbert said on Tuesday. By Tuesday afternoon, the sewage spill was still there.
On 21 November, two attorneys’ letters were delivered to the municipal manager concerning two sewage spillages on two separate premises of Specialised Oil Extractions. Both letters said that if the sewage spillages were not addressed by 16:30 on Wednesday, 23 November, the next step would be to obtain court interdicts to compel the municipality to comply with their duties.
The spillage at the factory in Industria Street had been attended to. The spillage in Unika Street, which had been serious for more than seven weeks, is still a problem. “Ms Aretha Smith, manager of the SRPA, comes every day to take photos of the spillage. I don’t know why the municipality has not opened the mainline yet,” Gilbert said.
The attorney said that the matter would be reported to the MEC for Local Government in the meantime and to the Public Protector for further investigations of maladministration, as well as to the Hotline of President Jacob Zuma. Approaching the High Court for an interdict is the next step, should the Unika Street spillage not be solved.
The Makhado Municipality was asked on 23 November to comment on their progress regarding the spill in Unika Street. They were asked to supply reasons why they were reacting so slowly and to comment on the fact that taxpayers have to resort to legal action before service is rendered.
Municipal spokesperson Mr Louis Bobodi on Tuesday said that he had sent the questions to “the relevant sections and was still waiting for answers”.
Written by
Linda van der Westhuizen
Linda van der Westhuizen has been with Zoutnet since 2001. She has a heart for God, people and their stories. Linda believes that every person is unique and has a special story to tell. It follows logically that human interest stories is her speciality. Linda finds working with people and their leaders in the economic, educational, spiritual and political arena very rewarding. “I have a special interest in what God is doing in our town, province and nation and what He wants us to become,” says Linda.
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