The environmental watchdog group, Save the Vaal Environment has described the recent ruling of the High Court in Johannesburg as victory for the community.
The court has given various ministers 45 court days in which to file affidavits, outlining measures taken to prevent the flow of raw sewage into the Vaal River.
The pollution of the river is a contravention of the Water and Environmental acts.
The group’s vice chairperson Maureen Stewart explains:
“This order directs the Minister of Water and Sanitation and the Environment Minister, as well as finance and the Gauteng Premier, to provide an affidavit which tells us what has been done because there has been work going on but nothing really completed. Then they have got to give us a plan with funding and timing as to what plans are going to happen in the future. We are very delighted. We believe it is a win, not only for SAVE, but for the entire community that has suffered from the impact of the pollution.”
Court intervenes in Vaal broken wastewater treatment works after years of sewage spills https://t.co/HXnGGihK72
— Save (@SaveTheVaal) July 4, 2023
Sewerage running into our river. pic.twitter.com/CWa19OsPq1
— Save (@SaveTheVaal) July 3, 2023
