GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - According to the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality, all three sewerage pump stations have been repaired and are fully operational. 

This comes after MP Samantha Graham-Maré posed several questions to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation regarding the sewerage problems in Graaff-Reinet.

Graham-Maré asked what steps have been taken to address allegations that sewerage pump stations and manholes are overflowing and leaking into the Sundays River.

She questioned what remedial measures the department will make available to the municipality and what methods of rehabilitation will be used to restore the affected areas. She also asked whether additional funds will be made available to address these issues.

The Department responded by sending a directive to the local municipality on 4 November 2019.

The municipality responded on 18 November 2019, claiming each site has been cleaned, and all broken sewerage pumps and solids papers have been removed.

According to the municipality, all three sites have been complied with according to the national health and safety standards.

The Department, Regional office in the Eastern Cape has allegedly allocated R 7 million to Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality for planned projects in the 2019/20 financial year.

Due to the declaration of drought disaster, some of the funds have been re-prioritised and assigned to emergency water supply schemes. Some of the funds will be used for drought interventions, to drill and equip a total of nine boreholes in the 2019/20 financial year.

Meanwhile, Graham-Maré expressed her dissatisfaction with the department's response: "It certainly doesn't shed too much light on matters, nor does it address the issues of non-compliance."

Graham-Maré has called on officials for a clearer and in-depth explanation on the sewerage and sanitation issues.

"I spoke to the officials at the Water Summit last year and advised them that I would be monitoring the system and providing feedback on non-compliance, where necessary."