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irrigation of crops. The application was submitted as a last resort, after the Irrigation Board contacted the Municipality early in 2002 to address the situation. Says chairman Edie Malan, "The Board hopes that this appeal to the court will force the local government to address the issue with the serious resolve that is needed to avert a potential health and economic catastrophy." This week Bailey said there was a direct link between the quality of water and the lack of proper housing facilities. "We must look at the human as well as the economic side," he told Paarl Post on Monday and added that in the short term steps had already been done to address the problem. "But in the long term we have to look at the 4000 families (17 000 people) that are living in shacks and do not have access to sanitation." He is now awaiting the reaction of the ministers. A report tabled at a recent meeting of the Mayoral Committee, stated that the Berg River downstream of Wellington is polluted to such an extent that it poses a health hazard for humans who come into direct contact with or drink water from the river. It also impacts negatively on the downstream fruit industry. Pollution comes from below standard final effluent from Wellington sewerage works, raw sewage spills at sewer pump stations in Wellington and some overstressed sewer mains in Paarl, as well as polluted stormwater effluent from informal settlements in Paarl and Wellington. According to Bailey the Drakenstein Municipality has spent more than R6 million since 2002 to improve the situation. The Wellington Waste Water Treatment Works, including the chlorination of the final effluent, has been upgraded over the past six months. Furthermore, the final effluent flows into downstream maturation ponds which ensure further improvement of the quality before it actually reaches the Berg River. According to the report, the sewage spills at the Newton pump station occur when a breakdown affects the capacity of the pump station. The station is monitored constantly to minimise the impact of spills. Problems exist at the Pentz Street pump station due to lack of capacity during heavy rain storms, resulting in frequent spills in winter. The emergency ponds often do not have sufficient capacity and sewage flows directly to the nearby Berg River. Some improvements were made over the past few years to increase the capacity of both the pump station and the sewerage network. "However, due to a huge ingress of stormwater into the sewers the capacity is still insufficient. In summer no problem is experienced." |
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THE microbiological pollution of the Berg River has been investigated by consultants appointed by the Municipality. Lyners Consulting Engineers, in association with Ninham Shand Consulting Engineers, presented the report at the Mayoral Committee meeting yesterday. The report identified several high density informal settlements and confirmed earlier findings that very few people within these areas have access to basic water and sanitation services. "People relieve themselves on river and channel embankments, open spaces and in isolated cases over utilise chemical toilets or block toilet systems." Inadequate waste removal adds to the problem as solid waste is thrown into rivers and stormwater canals by shack dwellers. Funding of R8,6 million would be needed to address various emergency projects to reduce pollution from informal settlements. An amount of R55,6 million will be needed for longer term solutions and projects, among which basic services for informal settlements, and a possible Newton Canal Wetland. The consultants recommend an integrated approach, with a core task team consisting of members of the Municipality's Housing, Town Planning en Engineering Departments. Their task will be to plan and co-ordinate activities which affect informal settlements. They also recommend facilitation with and awareness and involvement of the community. In the meantime farmers between Wellington and Hermon have expressed their concern on the deterioration of the river and say it is influencing their farming and the health of their workers. Standing on the bank of the river, Bertie Grobbelaar points out the black sediment on the bottom of the stream. "The deterioriaton is unbelievable. When I was a child, we caught freshwater shrimps here. Now, you are lucky of you see a fish." The stench from the water is overpowering, and after a few days in a reservoir, it is useless for human consumption. "We are still lucky," he explains, "because we have our own borehole that provides drinking water to us and the workers." However, the water is still used for everything else, from laundry to irrigation. "It is also impossible to keep the children out of the water. The result is that there are often stomach complaints among them." The same is true of the workers working with the irrigation system. His son scooped some water from the river, to demonstrate the stench and filth. About ten minutes later his forearms were covered with red spots, presumably from the water. Further along the river, people are solely dependent on the river, and many of the farmers have had to install filtration systems, at great financial cost. "It was the only way out," one farmer said. "My workers and especially their children were forever ill. "What is more, the heads on the irrigation systerm were continuously clogged by the filth (some of it indescribable) in the water. "The moment we started to filtrate the water, people's health improved." The Democratic Alliance, official opposition in the Drakenstein Town Council, has expressed concern on the pollution levels, the health risks as well as the possible detrimental effect on the fruit industry. They warned that the Mayor, his committee and the Council, may be held responsible for any damage sustained by any person, should treated run-off water which does not comply with the legal directives, be pumped into the Berg River. On pollution from informal settlements, the report states that the micro-biological pollution from raw sewage in virtually all the stormwater drainage pipes and canals is a major concern. "None of the people in the informal settlements have any access to sanitation. Even in areas already formalised, informal backyard structures have been added, resulting in double the number of people planned for." So-called "grey....." water and food scraps can often be seen deposited into the storm water catch pits and other inlets. "Although this matter does not directly carry bacteriological pollution, it provides nutrition, adding to the life of the bacteria. "To add to the above situation, solid waste remocal services are limited to centrally placed skips in the informal areas. The skips are not effective in keeping the areas clean. "This worsens the problem exponentially, since most of the solid waste is thrown into rivers and open stormwater canals, serving also as nutrition to the bacteria in the polluted drainage water." Both the food and other solid waste seriously hamper the flow of the stormwater systems, resulting in standing water where concentrations of bacteriological growth occur, with the situation particularly bad in summer when irrigation of crops also take place. "It is fully realised that due to the complexity of the situation, the situation will also be complex and a long process. "The situation may in some instances require some short term solutions to address the symptoms, while the planning and implementation of medium and long term solutions to address the causes take place." The Irrigation Board appointed Dr Jo Barnes, epidemiologist and senior lecturer at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch in November 2002 to investigate the quality of the water and advise the Board regarding the matter. Dr Barnes submitted various reports as well as memorandums, both to the Municipality as well as the Department of Water Affairs & Forestry in which I have clearly stated that the quality of the water in a number of places in the Berg River is not suitable for drinking water or the irrigation of edible produce. "It could be dangerous to humans and animals, when it comes to recreation, irrigation, washing or drinking." Dr Barnes measured an E-coli count of 2,44 billion per 100ml water in the Berg River at a Mbekweni stormwater outlet last summer, the result of fecal waste running into the river from unserviced shack areas. Contributing to the problem could be an inadequate sewage system in the area. Lower down the E.coli count was 7000 per 100ml water, still much higher than the informal standard for clean water and irrigation (a maximum E-coli count of 2000/100ml). Drinking water may not contain any traces of E-coli and any measurement above 500 units per 100 ml is considered dangerous for human contact. According to Edie Malan, chairperson of the Irrigation Board, they have submitted various reports to the Drakenstein Municipality and have had numerous meetings, also with the Department of Water Affairs & Forestry, regarding the pollution that is caused by the flow of raw sewerage into the Berg River from the Mbekweni and Fairyland residential areas. "After continued investigations, we know that the informal housing structures are causing raw sewerage and household waste water to be dumped into the stormwater drainage system of the Drakenstein Municipality. "The system carries this pollution into the Berg River, between Paarl and Wellington. Not only does this affect the 400 farmers and approximately 12 000 hectare of agricultural land that is irrigated, but we also believe that the pollution of the Berg River's water is harmful or potentially harmful for the well-being, health and safety of the people and animals who come into contact with the water." |
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HY het teen 130km in 'n 120km sone gery en hy is uitgevang. So sê Gideon Theron nadat hy hierdie week as wynmaker van die KWV afgedank is. Theron (41) en kollega Ian Nieuwoudt (30) is ontslaan nadat bevind is dat hulle skuldig was aan manipulering van die KWV se 2004 Sauvignon Blanc wyne. "Ek't geweet wat ek doen is buite die reëls en verkeerd. Ek het geëksperimenteer met groen rissies," het Gideon erken. Ian sê: "Dis 'n ongelukkige situasie en ek is baie spyt oor wat gebeur het. Ek het groenrissie-ekstrak by die wyn gevoeg. Ek wil vorentoe die reguit paadjie stap." 'n Uitgebreide ondersoek deur die Wyn- en Spiritusraad (WSR) oor die gebruik van onwettige geurmiddels in die wynmaakproses het tot dié skok-ontdekking en ontslag gelei. Tekens van perasiene, die geurstof wat in groenrissie voorkom, is opgespoor en die wyne wat uitgewys is, is dadelik geïsoleer. Die een tenk was bestem vir latere vrystelling van Theron se 2004 Laborie Savignon Blanc en die ander vir Nieuwoudt se 2004 KWV Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. Die gedokterde Laborie Sauvignon Blanc 2004 het vanjaar die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Jongwynskou kampioentrofee vir dié kultivar gewen. Theron het oor die jare verskeie pryse gewen. Hiérdie toekenning sal die KWV egter moet teruggee. Ian Nieuwoudt was ses jaar 'n KWV-wynmaker. Sy pa, Org, is die bestuurder van die KWV se Vredendal stokery. Ian het verlede jaar 'n dubbelgoud by die Veritas-toekennings gekry vir sy 2003 KWV Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, en vanjaar 'n brons. Die waarde van die 60 000 liter wyn wat nou vernietig word, is R1 miljoen. Dr Willem Barnard, hoof-uitvoerende beampte van KWV Beperk, het beklemtoon dat die twee wynmakers elkeen op eie inisiatief en sonder magtiging opgetree het. Die KWV het onmiddellik opgetree toe die maatskappy in kennis gestel is van die bevinding deur chemiese analise. Barnard is in Oktober deur die WSR in kennis gestel dat daar ongerymdhede by die KWV se wyne was. Ná 'n maand-lange interne ondersoek, is die wynmakers ontslaan. Die maatskappy het self sy Sauvignon Blanc van ander oesjare wat in die mark is, laat toets. Geen ander wyn was gedokter nie. Die direkteur van Openbare Vervolging kan nog beslis dat die wynmakers of die KWV self, aangekla word. Volgens dr Jakob Deist, voorsitter by WSR, sal die toetsing volgende jaar herhaal word en moontlik ook na ander kultivars uitgebrei word. "Ongerymdhede is slegs by een vervaardiger gevind. Vooraf kennis van die toetsing vanjaar het moontlik as 'n afskrikmiddel gedien. "Ons kan nie die integriteit van ons wynmakersindustrie besmet deur vervaardigers wat kortpad probeer vat nie. Theron sê: "Ek is jammer oor wat gebeur het. Ek het tien goeie jare by die KWV gehad en ek is trots op ons prestasies. Daar is nie suur druiwe nie." Oud-kollegas van die twee wynmakers was hierdie week teen die grond: "As daar nou twee mense met goeie harte is, dan is dit Gideon en Ian. Dit is ontsettend hartseer dat hierdie twee staatmaker wynmakers dalk nooit weer in hul lewe sal wyn maak nie," is gesê. |
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"GOD protected my family and me in the midst of this disaster," says Tracy Louw of Burbank Street, Denneburg in Paarl, after their house was rocked by an explosion last week. Tracy was outside with her two children Nicolas (3) and Lisa (2) at about 5 pm on 1 December when she went inside to prepare supper. It is at this particular moment when her daughter said she smelled gas. Tracy took the children outside to play and tried to light the oven of the gas stove. There was no pilot flame and the stove would not light. When she pushed the activator button and opened the oven door, there was a terrific explosion. Flying Tracy went flying through the air. She landed on broken glass and wood that had shattered off the cupboards. "My eyes were stinging, so I rushed outside and jumped into the swimming pool for fear I was on fire." "Later my friend told me I had burnt off some of my eyelashes. A neighbour from Santa Rosa Street came to her rescue, because he had heard the bang. She telephoned her friends who came to help. "The ceiling had lifted a bit, and some of the nails came loose. There was dust everywhere and the kitchen was a total mess. "It happened only two weeks after we had moved here and I didn't really know my neighbours yet. "It is a miracle that I survived. I'm just glad my children were outside," said a bruised Tracy, who does not want to have a gas stove again. Her children don't want to talk about the incident. "I would like to thank everyone who came to help. To all those kind people in Burbank and Santa Rosa Streets who have made their acquaintance with me, the neighbours who helped me, thank you. "Thanks also to the friendly people from the municipality and our cell group. "I have quickly found my niche in this kind-hearted Paarl community with their wonderful curiosity!" |
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TUSSEN 10 000 en 12 000 mense per aand het die Paarlse Kersliggiefees verlede week besoek. Die gemak en veiligheid van besoekers aan die Kersliggiefees in die Paarl is verseker deur 113 arrestasies in Lady Greystraat verlede week. "Die sterk teenwoordigheid van polisielede, en inhegtenisnemings vir geringer misdrywe, verhoed ernstiger voorvalle," het 'n polisiewoordvoerder gesê. Met 'n geskatte 12 000 besoekers met die aanskakeling van die Kersliggies Donderdagaand is 22 mense aangekla gemaak. Verdagtes het of skulderkenningsboetes betaal of is aangehou tot hul verskyning in die Paarl landdroshof. Aanklagte het ingesluit aanranding, drink of dronk en urineer in die publiek. Met 8000 mense in Lady Greystraat Vrydagaand is 41 arrestasies gemaak. Saterdagaand het 50 van die 10 000 besoekers hulle wangedra en is hulle na die polisiestasie geneem. Sondag was daar 'n geskatte 3000 besoekers aan Lady Greystraat met die kersligkonsert, en "almal was vreedsaam", volgens die polisie. Daar was ook 12 000 konsertgangers oor die drie aande van die Steve Hofmeyer opvoerings by die amfiteater op die Paarlberg. "Met goeie organisasie en sekuriteit in plek het die musiekaande op die berg glad verloop", het insp Julia Claasen gesê. |
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A MEMORIAL to honour local youths who laid down their youth, dreams and lives in the struggle against Apartheid, is going to be built in Paarl as part of a Heroes' Acre in the Parys cemetery. It is the brainchild of the Khumbula Healing Centre and is supported by Drakenstein Municipality. Seven Umkhonto We Sizwe soldiers from Paarl who have paid the ultimate price for democratic freedom, will be exhumed and then reburied at Klein Parys Cemetery in the new Heroes' Acre. The ceremony begins as the sun sets on Saturday when the graves of the fallen soldiers will be opened. Sangomas will perform a ritual. Seven torches will mark the graves of the soldiers: Norman Petersen, Themba Titana, Themba Moko, Crosby Tyelingene, Sonia Titana, Baba Lipfoana and Fmagele Mbenenge. As the sun rises on Sunday, carriages loaned by the De Poort Centre in Paarl as a gesture of Reconciliation, will come to pick up the draped coffins. A procession, escorted by Department of Labour students, horses, a Casspir and an honorary guard will escort the whole group on the walk to the heroes' final resting place, the Heroes' Acre. They will be received by the Rev Abe Maart and will then be finally laid to rest. The Last Post will be played as the burial commences. The soil turning of the Heroes' Acre will take place on Thursday 16 December, Reconciliation Day. The keynote address will be delivered by the Premier of the Western Cape, Ebrahim Rasool, at 11:00. |
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