GOOD Press Statement by Suzette Little,
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor & Caucus Chairperson
21 February 2025
Today members of GOOD attended the Quarterly Permit Advisory Forum Meeting on the Marine Outfalls Discharge Permits. The forum is meant to provide a platform for public dialogue with the City on the treatment and management of effluent discharged into the ocean. Currently, the City’s permit has no effluent quantity discharge limit after the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Dion George suspended the limit. Raw sewage, that has passed through nothing more than a sieve, is pumped into our oceans.
At today’s meeting, City engineers and scientists made an impressive (and slightly complex) presentation. In general, the stakeholders that were present commended the City for testing the waters but the general consensus was that more needs to be done to avoid long-term potential harm to public health and the environment. The City officials remained adamant that their testing and results were adequate and accurate.
For years, the City’s testing methodology and results have come under criticism by industry experts. The most recent being the Project Blue Report that claims the presence of sewage pollution was confirmed on certain beaches and certain dates in November and December 2024. As GOOD, we are not water experts or scientists but we have to believe these highly respected academics would not publish data carelessly. We call on the City to engage with other scientists and allow for a peer review model.
As GOOD we have agreed to sit on the Section 80 Advisory Committee on Water Quality in Wetlands, Waterways and the Coastal Environment. We call on all invested stakeholders to provide written comments by Friday the 28 February deadline.
We call on the City leadership, who as political leaders of the City are not scientists, to consider all submissions that may contain contrary findings. Any unwillingness to meaningfully engage with industry experts is immature, irrational and irresponsible.
Media enquiries: media@forgood.org.za