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Dear Editor The poultry sector is currently battling one of the most severe outbreaks of avian influenza in South African history. This compounds to pressures already faced by food producers due to the ongoing loadshedding crisis. Both have already separately negatively impacted the industry but together they created substantial operational challenges throughout the entire poultry …
Dear Editor Yesterday, for the first time in a long time, the US Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on South Africa. The hearing aimed at “Examining the Current US – South Africa Bilateral Relationship”. This comes at a crucial time, with the AGOA Forum heading to South Africa from 2-4 November 2023. The Forum …
Dear Editor The DA notes the announcement by AgriSA CEO, Christo van der Rheede, that at least R1 billion worth of crops and livestock were destroyed in raging fires in the Northern Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo. The amount also includes infrastructure damage. From mid-August, these fires have affected at least 1.2 …
Dear Editor “The deplorable actions of ANC politicians lends credence to the view that for as long as the ANC remains in power, organised criminal networks will continue to operate with impunity and could render South Africa ungovernable.” The DA is appalled by the latest crime statistics released in the 2023 Global Organised Crime Index …
Dear Editor DASO notes with great disappointment and disdain the racist and violent actions of the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF) at the University of Pretoria. In light of the rightful disqualification of their SRC candidates, the EFFSC illegally protested around the Hatfield campus of the University of Pretoria …
Dear Editor The DA welcomes the Gauteng High Court’s decision that the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, must act on a report that exposed R1.2 billion tender corruption in the North West Department of Health by end of day, or possibly face two years in jail. The Minister has until this afternoon to explain …
Dear Editor It is disheartening to serve on a committee that must rely on local newspapers for revelations within our portfolio. Over the weekend, information surfaced from an undisclosed source indicating that Crime Intelligence has allocated R100 million towards vehicles that remain unused. Additionally, it has been brought to light that they have not engaged …
Dear Editor Despite extensive public participation processes at great cost and the DA’s efforts to ensure that every submission made by the public is considered, the ANC majority of the parliamentary portfolio committee on basic education pushed the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill through. The DA and other opposition parties voted against the adoption …
Dear Editor The DA has written to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, Khayalethu Magaxa, recommending that the Committee sets up an urgent inquiry into the crisis unfolding at Transnet with a view to developing a roadmap to recovery that would stabilize the entity, save the economy and protect jobs. Our call …
Dear Editor It has come to our attention that Captain Tamboer at the Malmesbury Police Station, issued an instruction on 19 September, mandating that complainants’ statements must be taken exclusively in English. We wish to emphasise that this directive is invalid to the extent that it contradicts the directive issued by the National Police Commissioner, …
Dear Editor Democratic Alliance Federal leader John Steenhuisen today announced uMngeni mayor Chris Pappas as the DA’s KZN premier candidate for the 2024 national election. Making the announcement on the steps of the Durban City Hall, Steenhuisen said that Pappas is a dynamic young leader who walks the walk and has made the uMngeni municipality …
Dear Editor This past week the DA met with the horse farming community members in Kyalami to hear their concerns regarding African horse sickness (AHS) vaccine shortages and provide them with feedback on what the DA has done to solve their problems. This public meeting was also attended by Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) Chief Executive …
Dear Editor Just two days after reports of a successful SAPS joint operation to address illegal mining in Kleinzee, over 750 illegal foreign miners have been released after Home Affairs officials had failed to process them within the required 48 hours. Minister Motsoaledi must account for this brazen incompetence and the cost to both the …
Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng will launch a petition today calling for an end to Rand Water’s Chief Executive Officer, Sipho Mosai’s, tenure at the state-owned entity. Consistent failures on the part of Rand Water to both adequately prepare for increased demand, and to address the failings within the organisation make it …
Dear Editor Mondli Gungubele, Minister of Communications’ insistence on B-BBEE requirements for foreign companies shows the ANC government’s obsession with race-based policies despite its detriment to the economy. In response to questions by the DA this week, on why government insist on a 30% B-BBEE requirement for a licence to provide internet services in South …
Msukaligwa Municipality found guilty of polluting water resources
The Middleburg High Court in Mpumalanga has reaffirmed the regulatory role played by the Department of Water and Sanitation when it found Msukaligwa Local Municipality guilty of eight counts relating to water pollution.
The case, which was brought before the court on Wednesday, relates to non-compliance by the municipality with several directives issued by the department, in terms of sections 19 (3) and 53 (1) of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act no. 38 of 1998).
The municipality failed to take reasonable measures to prevent the pollution of water resources and engaging in water use without authorisation at the Ermelo Waste Water Treatment Works.
This comes after the department’s Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Unit undertook numerous investigations since 2016, and subsequently issued notices and directives to the municipality.
“The outcomes of the investigations revealed that the Ermelo Waste Water Treatment Works was not authorised to engage in water uses, not functioning adequately, and the sewage was bypassing the process units and discharged straight into water resources, and there were poor operations and maintenance of the plant,” the department said.
Judge Bruce Langa ordered Msukaligwa Local Municipality to:
• Immediately cease unlawful water use at the Ermelo Waste Water Treatment Plant.
• Apply for registration of water use, as set out in section 21 (f and g) of the National Water Act.
• Immediately take corrective measures to stop the discharge of poor quality effluent to prevent further pollution of water resources.
• Appoint a suitably qualified environmental consultant to compile a rehabilitation plan, which must include the nature and impact that pollution has had or may have on water resources, and the measures that will be implemented to remediate the impact (with clear timeframes).
The rehabilitation plan must be compiled within 30 days from the date of the order of the court and submitted to the department for approval.
The municipality must implement all remedial action contained in the rehabilitation plan within 30 days from the approval of the plan by the department.
• The municipality must compile a closeout report after the completion of the rehabilitation, to be submitted to the department within 14 days of completion of the rehabilitation activities.
The costs of the application by the department are to be paid by the municipality.
Judge Langa said the Department of Water and Sanitation acted in good faith and made many reasonable efforts to make the municipality account for its actions or non-actions, including the issuing of notices and directives.
“The applicant, in my judgement, was entitled to approach the court for relief once it became clear that the respondent was not responding to the various notices, in terms of which it was directed to take certain measures to correct the issues identified repeatedly in various reports dating as far back as 2016.
"In this case, the respondent clearly remained supine, despite the critical problem that was raised many times by the applicant,” Langa said.
The department said it will issue a letter of intent to open a criminal case against Msukaligwa Local Municipality, should they fail to submit an action plan with clear timeframes and budget.
“The department is pleased by this court order and hopes that it will send a strong message to other institutions and serve as a deterrent to transgress provisions of the National Water Act,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 09/22/2023 - 09:04
Dear Editor Despite the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele’s claims that all the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant beneficiaries have now been paid, there are still many recipients who dispute this fact. In the media briefing yesterday afternoon, which Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu failed to attend despite committing to …
Dear Editor Today, I wrote to the Western Cape Police Ombudsman (WCPO) to request that he investigate various concerns around the operations and deployment of the South African Police Service (SAPS) during the violent and damaging protests which occurred in Swellendam on 16 August and 20 September 2023. Matters that I have requested be investigated …
The Friends of Liesbeek Association has withdrawn a town planning appeal, but a court case remains to be settled
Dear Editor “The Police Commissioners must explain why SAPS did not respond promptly to the known risk of violence, even from the day before. This suggests a potential failure in police intelligence services or an orchestrated attack on DA governments by other political parties before an election.” Please find attached a soundbite by Okkie Terblanche …
Dear Editor The DA notes the official confirmation by United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Minister Ebrahim Patel of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) that Johannesburg will host the forthcoming African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Summit from November 2-4. This announcement dispels prior concerns about the relocation of the summit …
Dear Editor The news of the allegations that the wife of Ambassador Smuts Ngonyama, has assaulted their domestic worker, is the latest in a long line of international scandals that have plagued SA missions abroad. The alleged incident occurred on 14 July 2023 at their Tokyo residence. The DA has previously raised concerns regarding the …
Dear Editor The DA welcomes the decision by the Pretoria High Court granting the Southern Africa Agricultural Initiative (Saai) access to information on land claims in South Africa listed in the Government Gazette between 1998 and 2021. This is a victory, not only for land restitution claimants who have been left in the lurch for …
Dear Editor “Parliament had the opportunity to step in and demonstrate leadership in addressing the issue of fuel price moderation, but Nqakula’s decision places party interests above the welfare of hard-pressed South Africans. The ANC government has once again proven that it is out of touch with the suffering of citizens who are grappling with …