KAMFERS DAM – A year after concerns were first raised, Kimberley’s Homevale Waste Water Treatment Plant remains in a state of disrepair. Excessive water levels at Kamfers Dam, allegedly already above the critical 1.56-meter mark, pose a grave threat to the city’s iconic Lesser Flamingo. This vital habitat for these birds is dangerously overflowing due to the plant’s severe incapacity.
Sol Plaatje Municipal Ward Councillors Ockert Fourie, Chris Whittaker, and George Joseph recently conducted an oversight inspection of the facility – a troublingly delayed revisit considering their prior expressions of alarm and the fact that their last inspection took place a year ago. Their findings revealed a plant still struggling with overgrowth, the lingering smell of methane gas, and a general lack of essential maintenance. These conditions point to ongoing neglect that could have disastrous consequences for the Lesser Flamingo and the delicate ecosystem within Kamfers Dam.
The excessive water levels violate environmental regulations designed to protect sensitive habitats. Kamfers Dam is one of the few breeding grounds for Lesser Flamingos in Southern Africa, making its preservation crucial for the species’ survival. Continued overflow also poses infrastructural risks to the nearby N12 highway and could potentially mirror the previous crisis on the R31, where rising water levels severely damaged the road.
The lack of progress in a full year demonstrates a worrying disregard for the urgency of the situation. No detailed progress reports have been made public, further raising concerns about accountability and the potential for further deterioration of this environmental crisis.
Concerned residents and environmental groups must question whether those tasked with maintaining critical infrastructure that protects Kimberley’s natural heritage truly understand the severity of the problem. If the condition of the Homevale Plant is not immediately addressed, legal action may be the only recourse to safeguard the Lesser Flamingos and the environmental integrity of Kamfers Dam.