Municipal officials probed over Sunshine Coast pollution

Two top Sunshine Coast municipal officials are under police investigation for allegedly failing to stop raw sewage polluting Port Alfred's popular Kowie River - despite knowing about the problem.

After five years of trying to convince Ndlambe Municipality to sort out the problem, DA MP Annette Lovemore brought criminal charges against municipal manager advocate Rolly Dumezweni and infrastructural services director Xolani Masiza - "as a last resort".

Port Alfred police station commander Colonel Lizette Zeelie yesterday confirmed that Lovemore had on Monday brought charges against the two officials for allegedly "knowingly" contravening the National Water Act.

She said police would hand the docket to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a decision once the investigation was complete.

According to Lovemore, the local sew age treatment works had been "dysfunctional" for about five years "resulting in untreated or partially treated sewage discharging into the (nearby) Kowie River".

"The continuous neglect by officials of their duty to prevent pollution of the Kowie River is not only criminal, but is also ethically unacceptable in that it affects opportunity in this town based, particularly, on tourism and recreation," Lovemore said.

Describing pollution in the river as a "potential health hazard", she said it was the DA's contention the officials had been provided "ample opportunity to correct the problem".

The officials are alleged to have contravened two sections of the National Water Act which state that no person may "unlawfully and intentionally or negligently commit any act or omission which pollute or is likely to pollute" or "detrimentally affect a water resource".

Municipal spokesperson Khululekile Mbolekwa yesterday said money had been sourced to fix sewerage problems.

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Posted at 08:16AM Sep 02, 2010 by Editor in Cities and Towns  |