ROB KNOWLES and JON HOUZET
In March last year a municipal vacuum tanker (aka honeysucker) was photographed by Talk of the Town discharging raw sewage into a bushy area along Wharf Street.
When asked to explain why this had occurred, the municipality responded by sending a representative to the TotT offices to gather photographic evidence and ask for witnesses in the disciplinary hearing it would conduct. However, TotT was not called to testify and it is uncertain if the hearing ever took place.
There appeared to be a similar incident last month. First, residents in the Kenton area complained of sewage flowing from the treatment works at Ekuphumleni, and going into the Kariega estuary.
Then, TotT was sent a photograph of a honeysucker apparently discharging raw sewage down a hill and the sewage flowing directly into the Bushmans’ River estuary.
The photos were shared from a Kenton WhatsApp security group, along with complaints from residents.
TotT sent queries to the municipality and until this week had not published a story on either incident.
What was the consensus and conclusion following the community and municipality’s meetings? Read the full story in this week’s Talk of the Town.