Sewage in Upington: Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality can no longer look away – urgent action is needed

The Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality has been turning a blind eye for more than four years now about sewage spilling into the Orange River. In addition to the unpleasant smell, this ongoing issue poses risks to residents’ health as well as the town’s economy and tourism industry. AfriForum approached a specialist to investigate and compile a report based on the findings. This report was submitted to the Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality today.

AfriForum has also brought this issue to the attention of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and the HRC is working together with the civil rights organisation to solve this problem.

This sewage problem is partly caused by a damaged manhole next to the Kalahari Mall where sewage flows from the manhole into the stream next to the shopping center and from there ends up in the Orange River.

Despite numerous water tests and correspondence between AfriForum and the Dawid Kruiper Municipality, it appears that this issue still falls on deaf and unwilling ears. The treasury has also already made R260 million available so that this issue can be resolved with a four-phase plan and although the first and second phases have been completed, sewage is still flowing from the manholes where the new pipeline and upgrade have already been installed. There is still no word on when the third and fourth phases will begin and in the meantime the problem rages on.

The third and fourth phases involve upgrading the pipeline on the east side of the town. This pipeline runs past Oranje-Noord Primary School, Duineveld Secondary School and the Kalahari Mall. Duineveld Secondary School has to shell out thousands of rands every time the sewage pushes up into the school grounds.

According to Werner Strauss, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Kalahari, the community and environment as a whole suffer here. “Even the plants indicate the damage caused by the sewage. We see how this sewage flows into our schools and past guest houses where tourists have to stay. This is a huge problem and we are deeply concerned that the municipality is not bothered about this.”

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