The civil rights watchdog AfriForum had the sewage outlet in the Swartspruit in Kempton Park tested on 17 August 2017 to ascertain the quality of the town’s sewage. AfriForum’s Kempton Park branch conducted SANAS accredited water tests after various community members continuously complained about the unbearable stench coming from the Swartspruit.
“We established that the sewage did not adhere to minimum requirements. Water tested positive for faecal coliforms, E. coli, nitrates and phosphates, of which the concentration was not within set standards,” says Marie Naude, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Gauteng. Naude says that AfriForum will ensure that the pollution is addressed as soon as possible. The organisation has already sent a letter of demand to the Municipality to demand that the problem is resolved within 48 hours.
“We will have to give attention to sewage plants. We cannot allow municipal officers who are unfit for their task threaten the quality of our water resources,” says Rian van Jaarsveld, Chairperson of AfriForum’s Kempton Park branch.
“We request that the residents of Kempton Park award AfriForum the mandate to continuously monitor water quality. SMS “Kempton Park” to 45342 (R1) to support this action.