Fed-up with eThekwini Municipality’s failure to fix ageing and damaged infrastructure, the Democratic Alliance embarked on a march to the Umbilo Wastewater Treatments Works in Pinetown on Saturday, 11 March.
The march was led by the party’s provincial chairperson, Dean Macpherson and a number of ward councillors who said the city’s infrastructure needed to be fixed urgently. The party handed over a memorandum addressed to the head of water and sanitation, Ednick Mswelia, and city manager Musa Mbhele. The memorandum was handed over to a representative from the mayor’s office, Njabulo Zungu.
In the memorandum, Macpherson stated that the party notes and understands that after the double floods of April and May 2022, the Umbilo Wastewater Works was severely damaged, leading to the plant becoming inoperable, causing pollution to the Umbilo river however there is little or no progress made by the city.
“It is now almost eleven months since the floods, and still very little progress has been made, whilst the pollution of the important Umbilo river continues. The health, and quality of life of those living along the river, and the community around the Wastewater Works is being negatively affected,” said he said.
The DA’s list of demands as stated in the memorandum:
– A full timeline of the repairs at the Umbilo wastewater works from the date of commencement to date of completion.
– Weekly publication of water quality results of the Umbilo river.
– The presentation of a plan to deal with the bad odour surrounding the Umbilo wastewater works affecting the surrounding community.
Full disclosure of the contractors engaged by the eThekwini Metro to repair the Umbilo wastewater works.
– Full disclosure of the costs of the repairs of the works.
– A monthly progress meeting between the eThekwini Department of Water and Sanitation, contractors involved in the repairs of the works, and the ward councillors of wards 18 and 63.
