Questions concerning sewage works in Makhado Municipality were raised on March 15 in the question paper of the National Assembly of Parliament.

Ms Buelwa Sonjica, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, afforded written replies to Questions 699 and 700 published in Internal Question Paper no.7.

According to Minister Sonjica’s answer to question 699, the Makhado Local Municipality had a notice issued against them on November 14, 2008 in terms of the National Water Act. Other municipalities that received notices against them are Thulamela Local Municipality, Lephalale Local Municipality, Mopani District Municipality and Modimolle Local Municipality, who all received their notices in September 2009.

Sonjica gave the reason for the directive against the Makhado Municipality as the “malfunctioning of [water] treatment units which resulted in partial effluent and also two overflowing manholes which discharged raw sewage into Madadzhe River.” Thulamaela Local Municipality had their directive issued for the sewage pump station which was not operational, thus resulting in continuous pollution of the Mvudi River.

The minister stated that the response of the Makhado Municipality was that they are “currently planning to increase the capacity of the sewage works”. The then minister of Water Affairs, Ms Lindiwe Hendricks, visited Louis Trichardt on November 27, 2008 to speak against the contamination of water resources, as well as the illegal use of water. The media reported that a directive had been handed over to the Makhado Municipality.

“The community members of the Sinthumule and Kutama areas have been complaining about the stinking sewage for about ten years now and, according to them, the municipality was failing to address the problem,” reported Peter Muthambi of the Limpopo Mirror.

Hendricks was reported to have given an ultimatum of 30 days in which officials had to come up with correctional measures. To date, community structures complain that they have not seen any improvements.

In Question 700, compliance was addressed. The Minister said that compliance of Makahdo Municipality was monitored on February 24, with respect to the Makhado waste water treatment works (WWTW), the Beit Bridge WWTW and the Oxidation Ponds at Dzanani, Siloam, Musina and Nancefield.

Sonjica stated that the latest compliance audit did not provide proof that the disposal of waste was done according to the prescribed guidelines. The sewage spill at the Makhado WWTW was identified as non-compliance and a directive was issued.

“The Green Drop Certification is yet to be undertaken within the Limpopo Province. The officers who will be undertaking the assessments are scheduled to be trained in April 2010,” Sonjica said.