Thousands of Litres of Raw Sewage Spills into Wetlands in Kempton Park

Thousands of litres of raw sewage is spilling into wetlands in Kempton Park, Gauteng, posing a health and environmental risk says Janho Engelbrecht MPL – DA Gauteng Member of Economic Development, Agriculture and Rural Development and Environmental Affairs Committee.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has been inundated with complaints by residents about the severe sewer stench which is present 24/7 as the sewage flows into the wetlands in Marigane and Lanseria street in Bonaero Park, Gauteng.

Engebrecht says the existing sewer line – which was installed many years ago within the perimeter of this important wetland – has become severely perforated due to old age, which has led to the raw sewage seeping out of this pipe into the wetland.

According to Engelbrecht “residents are unable to go outside or open the windows of their homes for fear of breathing in this stench”.

Shockingly, this has been a problem in the area for more than 10 years!

This wetland used to be a major attraction with hundreds of flamingos frequenting the wetland and home to many fauna species. However, due to the current state of the wetlands the flamingos have disappeared as have the fauna species.

The DA says it will be writing to the Gauteng MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development and Environmental Affairs, Morakane Mosupyoe as well as the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional, Lebogang Maile and the Green Scorpions to intervene in this situation as a matter of urgency.