Statement by Mark Rountree, GOOD National Policy Officer
22 July 2021
Pollution and degradation of South Africa’s internationally designated RAMSAR wetlands is a contravention of our global commitments to ecosystem protection.
On the 7th July 2021, GOOD’s National Policy Officer, Mark Rountree, reported the pollution releases by the City of Cape Town in to the RAMSAR False Bay wetlands to the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment.
After years of similar ongoing pollution in to other wetlands in the Western Cape, we sought to immediately notify the relevant National Ministry responsible for oversight of the provinces.
GOOD welcomes and appreciates the quick acknowledgement and swift response from Minister Barbara Creecy’s office.
On the 8th July, the Green Scorpions visited the areas affected by the pollution incidents. The confirmed that “significant pollution of the environment has been caused” as a result of sewage discharges in to the sensitive wetland environments.
Following on from the Green Scorpions site assessments, yesterday the City of Cape Town was issued with a Pre-Directive pertaining to the pollution incidents in the False Bay Nature Reserve.
The City now has seven days to make representations as to why a Directive in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), should not be issued.
The City must also provide a rehabilitation plan with adequate remedial measures to remedy the pollution that has already occurred, and indicate what measures will be taken to prevent future incidents.
Should the City not comply, any person convicted may be fined up to R10 million or be imprisoned for up to 10 years, as per the National Environmental Management Act.
“We look forward to the City’s rehabilitation plan and steps to prevent such incidents happening again in the False Bay Nature Reserve.”
“GOOD also hopes that the City of Cape Town will take this opportunity to similarly come up with a plan to fix the overflowing sewers flowing in to the Diep River and Milnerton Lagoon – and an immediate plan to fix the overflowing sewers reported in many residential over the last week” said Rountree.