Chris Hani District Municipality given until 2 November to report on dire sewage spillages in Cradock

The Grahamstown High Court has granted Agri Eastern Cape (Agri EC) a supervisory order that instructs the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) to take urgent steps to rectify raw and untreated sewage flowing directly into the Fish River in Cradock.

The 28 October order came after an Agri EC member reported that raw sewage flowing into the Fish River in Cradock would inevitably affect agricultural activities downstream.

In September, Daily Maverick reported that a third of the municipality’s sewage plants are partially operational and that the district is responsible for years of waste running into the Eastern Cape’s rivers.

Speaking about the case, Agri EC’s Megan Maritz said following the failure of the municipality and the department of water and sanitation to urgently engage with Agri EC, a site inspection was performed by Agri EC’s staff members. 

“The staff members confirmed that at more than six sites direct sewage spills were flowing into the Fish River. Furthermore, five pump stations and the wastewater treatment works were dysfunctional,” she said.

Maritz said sewage leaked from almost every manhole along the sewerage system. 

“Most of these manholes had sewage gushing from them, creating flowing streams that led to the Fish River. The burial site of the famous ‘Cradock Four’ was under a lake of sewage and people in Lingelihle, Michausdal and Cradock were being forced to live with streams of sewage flowing past their front doors,” Maritz said.

She said the entire system was so dysfunctional that there was a constant “waterfall” of sewage at the bottom of Church Street. 

“Toilet paper and sanitary material littered the areas of sewage overflow, including the Michausdal pump station. In light of the seriousness of the situation, Agri EC approached the Grahamstown High Court on the 3rd of September 2021 to urgently enroll the matter,” she said.

Maritz said the municipality initially opposed the relief sought by Agri EC, but later adopted a cooperative approach that led to the granting of the 28 October innovative order. 

In terms of this order, the municipality shall, by no later than 4pm on 2 November 2021, serve and file a comprehensive report, on affidavit, detailing the following:

• The present state and functioning of the Cradock Wastewater Treatment Works [CWWTW] and the sewerage system and infrastructure related thereto (hereinafter referred to as “the CWWTW sewerage reticulation system”);


• What steps the First and Second Respondents are and/or will be taking to perform maintenance to, repairs to and/or upgrading of the CWWTW sewerage reticulation system so as to render it compliant with all relevant legislation and to ensure that all current sewage and/or wastewater leaks and/or spills emanating from the CWWTW sewerage reticulation system are rectified and that such any leaks and/or spills are prevented from occurring in future;


• The timeframes envisioned in respect of each step relevant to achieving the results set out above.


• That Agri EC shall, by no later than 16h00 on 19 November 2021, serve and file a responding report, on affidavit, commenting on the report filed by the CHDM;


• That, for purposes of preparing Agri EC’s responding report, an expert appointed by Agri EC shall have access to the CWWTW sewerage reticulation system so as to perform inspections thereof, on 3, 4, 10 and/or 11 November 2021;


• That the matter is postponed to 25 November 2021 for purposes of the parties presenting argument, to the above Honourable Court, in relation to the content of any report(s) filed in terms of this Order and the further conduct of this application, after which the above Honourable Court shall make such further order as it deems appropriate.

Tarkastad wastewater pump station is surrounded by sewage. (Photo: Supplied)