As public participation meetings continued over the location of marine outfalls in Hout Bay, Green Point and Camps Bay, a recent engagement at Oceana Power Boat Club, Granger Bay, heard how residents objected to the continued release of sewerage along the Atlantic coastline.
PR ward councillor in Bellville, Paul Jacobson, said a presentation was held by several environmental groups including the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) on September 14, to share information.
“We have literally been swimming in raw sewage, sanitary ware and condoms and all that.
“The smell is horrendous and the evidence is overwhelming that what we have in our bays is raw sewage.
“(The issue) is now starting to aggravate our public and they are also starting now to pick up very weird ailments which are a cause of the sickness and health conditions (picked up at sea),” said Jacobson.
The City will host a public meeting at Camps Bay High School on Wednesday at 6pm.
Mayco member for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien said: “We encourage residents and interested stakeholders to attend this meeting to get the latest information on the marine outfalls and the public participation process related to the City’s application to operate these outfalls.
It’s part of an important journey to build a working relationship between the City and the community on matters related to sanitation services.”
The Camps Bay and Clifton Ratepayers Association chairperson, Chris Willemse, had previously welcomed the order Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy, that found the public participation process and the permit which the City relied on to keep using the marine outfalls, was “inadequate, outdated and should be redone”.
“This science clearly indicates that the marine environment along the Atlantic seaboard has already been partially destroyed by the use of (marine outfalls) and their continued use will simply cause further destruction until the marine life becomes extinct.
“It is worthwhile to note that this is the actual destruction of the marine ecosystem, not merely damage thereto, which would be bad enough in the first instance,” said Willemse.
Cape Times