The ANC led government’s reaction to the bilharzia outbreak in the Mopani district by forming a provincial task team is far too little too late and a result of decades of government failure and environmental mismanagement.
The team includes representatives from the Office of the Premier, the Department of Health, the Department of Education, CoGHSTA, Mopani District Municipality, Greater Giyani Local Municipality, Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality, Greater Letaba Local Municipality and Ba-Phalaborwa local Municipality. They have been mandated to coordinate efforts to contain the outbreak, provide medical care to affected individuals, and prevent further spread of the disease.
This intervention is too little too late after decades of neglect and passive leadership in the province. The bilharzia outbreak has led to the treatment of 140 students at Malwandla Primary School for the disease and it is highly likely there are many more people affected.
The municipalities in the mopani region have neglected their responsibility to strengthen compliance to environmental legislation and regulations and improve enforcement in their municipal boundaries.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) report on Access to Water and the Efficacy of Water Services Authorities in Limpopo also highlighted that all the Water Service Authorities (WSA’s) in Limpopo were found to be non-compliant with the Water Services Act and Compulsory Standards, or in violation of their obligations to supply water to some of the communities within their jurisdiction.
COGHSTA had not effectively carried out its role as an oversight body, in terms of ensuring that access to clean water is a reality within the Limpopo Province.
The report required the relevant departments to provide progress reports on addressing these challenges and this has seemingly not received any attention.
Recent green drop reports have also listed Mopani District Wastewater Treatment works like Lenyenye, Namakgale, Phalaborwa and Senwamokgope as being at critical risk and Ga-kgapane, Giyani , Lulekane and Nkowankowa being at high risk and pose serious risk to public health and the environment.
This negligence by municipalities coupled by their failure to provide safe potable water has led to water systems that are badly polluted and a danger to communities, an example of this is the Letsitele river. view photos here, and videos here, here and here.
The department of education’s failure to provide a healthy learning environment, and appropriate sanitation and water infrastructure at schools is likely what led to the 140 learners being infected.
The Provincial department, especially the department of COGHSTA should take responsibility for failing to provide oversight on municipality’s environmental safety responsibilities and the department of education should take responsibility for failing to provide safe water sources.
The Provincial Government’s task team must urgently address this issue Premier Ramathuba ensure officials that have been asleep at the wheel for years are held accountable for non-performing, negligence over the years and endangering of resident’s lives.
The DA is committed to providing a safe environment for residents and schools with appropriate water and sanitation infrastructure to allow our learners to thrive.