Metro ignores urgent environmental issues

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THE cartoon by Mark Wiggett in The Herald on Friday brilliantly depicts the sad situation regarding the ongoing polluting of our beautiful Swartkops River. Covering up the source of the problem will not take the problem away.

What has happened here in Despatch is absolutely disgusting! Since when is the procedure to open a blocked sewage drain to pump it into the stormwater system?

I agree with Sakkie du Preez that the sewage must be sucked out into trucks as that is the normal way this is done. However, it seems that nothing within our municipality is "normal” any more!

It seems that the constant outcries from the DA as well as from environmental groups keep on falling on deaf ears and a blind eye is turned all the time.

Please, Mr Mayor, your intervention is seriously needed to save our unique Swartkops estuary which has the tourism potential to bring in millions of much needed money to our suffering metro.

As a DA councillor on the public health committee, I will not keep quiet regarding the total disrespect of the Swartkops River and do everything within my power to fight for every resident’s right to live in an environment that is not harmful to his or her health and wellbeing. I intend to bring this matter to the attention of the auditor-general as well as the metro’s municipal public accounts committee.