Sewage pollution: 4 Former municipality managers in court, KroonstadThe former municipal manager of the Moqhaka Local Municipality, Sonnyboy Mokgatle, and three other former managers of this municipality appeared in the Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court on 2 June 2022 on charges of sewage pollution. This investigation has been ongoing since 1 November 2019 after the community organisation, Moqhaka for the people , opened a criminal complaint against Mokgatle for the dumping of raw sewage.
Since AfriForum also lodged a criminal complaint against Mokgatle on 19 May 2022 for sewage pollution, he has made his first appearance in court. The case against Mokgatle was added to that of the other three accused who appeared in connection with the same charges. Shortly after AfriForum’s criminal complaint was lodged, Mokgatle resigned as municipal manager.
The Green Scorpions are investigating the cases against the accused. Because the cases have the same origin and municipal managers resigned or have been transferred to other municipalities for some time now to try to avoid liability, there are now four accused in this case. The case has been adjourned to 4 July 2022 so that the prosecutor for Regional Court can consider the content of these cases and thereafter the case can be transferred to the Regional Court where the trial will take place.
According to Spiro Khoury, the Chairperson of MFP, less than 40% of Kroonstad’s sewerage works is functional and this harms the health and quality of life of residents. “The raw sewage that is dumped pollutes the Vals- and Vaal River. No chlorine is used to treat the water and some of the sewage works are dysfunctional. The sewage problems countrywide are heading for a national crisis.”