Ramaphosa concerned about Mogale City water pollution crisis

JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa said that he was concerned about the water pollution crisis in Mogale City.

News24 recently published a video showing how the municipality was dumping its untreated sewage into local river streams.

At a media briefing on Wednesday, Presidency spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said this had been confirmed as true by the Department of Water and Sanitation.

"The department is also assisting the police to investigate the charges and to compile a case docket. For the president, the situation poses a serious risk to human health, agriculture, economic activity, and the environment.

"The sewage pollution from the municipality is adversely impacting the Cradle of Humankind, which, as we all know, is a UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation] World Heritage Site."

Meanwhile, the municipality is currently without a mayor following Danny Thupane’s resignation on Wednesday after 18 months as Mogale City’s number one citizen.

African National Congress (ANC) regional secretary, Mkhuseli Jokazi, said this was a moment of transition, and residents should not panic.

"We are going to give them quality service delivery. The issues that they are complaining about are the issues that, on a daily basis, we are working with them, and we are willing to resolve all those issues. So, they must remain calm, making sure their organisation, which is the African National Congress, is the leader of society."