Die Demokratiese Alliansie (DA) het ‘n beroep op die Groen Skerpioene gedoen om dringend in te gryp, nadat die massiewe riooldam wat in die veld naby Platfontein gevorm het, na die ander kant van die R31 deurgesypel het.
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Delmaine Christians, LPW en DA-lid van die NRVP, sê: “Die rioollek is die eerste keer aangemeld in ongeveer 2016, toe dit nog net ‘n dam was en nie eens van die pad af sigbaar was nie. Daar is destyds aangedui dat rou riool in die rigting van Platfontein vloei omdat die Gogga-pompstasie buite werking was.”
“Dit is nou ses jaar later en die dam het baie vergroot, ondanks beloftes dat die saak die nodige aandag sou kry.”
“Die dam is nie net ‘n omgewingsgevaar nie, maar hou ook ‘n gesondheidsrisiko in vir die inwoners van Platfontein en die groter Kimberley-omgewing. Omdat dit moerasse vorm, is dit ‘n gevaar vir die kinders wat in die omgewing woon. Dit is ook ‘n broeiplek vir vlieë en muskiete.”
“Benewens bogenoemde, hou die rioolstorting ook ‘n bedreiging ini vir die padinfrastruktuur. As die saak nie aangespreek word nie, is ‘n ineenstorting van die pad op hande. Dìt sal nie net miljoene rande kos om te herstel nie, maar ook ‘n geweldige knou vir die ekonomie wees, aangesien die pad die hoofweg is vir die mangaanvragmotors wat van die myne af ry.”
“Dit is onverklaarbaar waarom die plaaslike en provinsiale regering verkies om nie op te tree nie. Die R31 is ‘n baie belangrike pad. Paaie en openbare werke moet reeds die geweldige koste van die herstel van oorstroomde paaie en brûe in die Joe Morolong-gebied hanteer. Hulle en SANRAL moet beslis alles moontlik doen om selfs duurder padskade te voorkom.”
“Die DA sal die Groen Skerpioene vra om in die rioolstorting in te gryp namens belastingbetalers, wat moeg is om te sien dat hul swaarverdiende geld vermors word weens ‘n gebrek aan voorkomende instandhouding.”
“Na ses jaar het die tyd aangebreek dat strafregtelike aksie teen die Sol Plaatje-munisipaliteit ingestel moet word weens die instansie se direkte versuim om sy mense, die omgewing en selfs die ekonomie te beskerm,” sluit Christians af.
Green Scorpions must intervene in R31 sewage spill
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has appealed to the Green Scorpions to urgently intervene, as a massive sewerage dam that formed in the veld near Platfontein has seeped through to the other side of the R31.
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Delmaine Christians, MP and DA Member of the NCOP, says: “The sewerage leak was first reported in about 2016 when it was still just a pond and was not even visible from the road. At the time, it was indicated that raw sewage was flowing in the direction of Platfontein due to the Gogga pump station being out of order.”
“It’s now six years later and the pond has grown extensively, despite promises that the matter would be addressed.”
“The dam is not only an environmental hazard, but it also poses a health risk to the people of Platfontein and the greater Kimberley area. With it causing the formation of swamps, it is a danger to the children living in the area. It is also a breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes.”
“In addition to the above, the sewage spill now presents a threat to the road infrastructure too. If the matter is not addressed, a collapse of the road is imminent. This will not only cost millions of rands to repair but will also deal a massive blow to the economy, given that the road is a main thoroughfare for the manganese trucks travelling from the mines.”
“It is inexplicable why local and provincial government chooses not to act. The R31 is a road of crucial importance. Roads and Public Works already have to deal with the massive costs of repairing flooded roads and bridges in the Joe Morolong area. Surely, they and SANRAL should be doing everything possible to prevent even more costly road damages.”
“The DA will ask the Green Scorpions to address the sewerage spill and to intervene on behalf of taxpayers, who are tired of seeing their hard-earned money being squandered because of a lack of preventative maintenance.”
“After half a dozen years, the time has come for criminal action to be instituted against the Sol Plaatje municipality for its outright failure to protect its people, the environment and even the economy.”
