When the court slapped a R10m fine on Knysna Municipality last week for breaking several environmental laws, it was a wake-up call for the local authority. And for residents because it shows how bad things have become.
I know the municipality has been working on a “turn-around strategy”, and that there are some committed officials and residents’ groups like Knysna Infrastructure Group, who have been trying to address problems, but sadly, it’s not been enough. A major part of the problem is, we know, the neglect of crucial infrastructure like the town’s sewerage works that has been allowed to deteriorate over years. Couple this with insufficient staff, or staff who cannot do their jobs properly, and you have a slow-motion disaster: the degradation of the Knysna Estuary. When you look at the Knysna Estuary – or lagoon as residents call it – what do you see? I see three main things: the estuary as the key driver of Knysna’s tourism economy; the source of almost all the water in our taps; and a living entity that provides ecological services that most of us are not even aware of. “Ecological services” are simply the benefits we get from nature. I have mentioned two above, but there are many others. For instance, the estuary provides 70 tons of fish a year, which translates into food, money and jobs. The wetlands around the estuary regulate rain and storm water so prevent erosion. They also act as filters so purify the water. The beds of sea grass and the saltmarshes absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide, so help mitigate climate change that is already causing so much damage from extreme weather. All this and more the Knysna Estuary gives us – free of charge. No wonder it has been rated the highest in conservation importance out of our 290 estuaries. And yet we dump our shit into something so precious. It’s no wonder the authorities prosecuted the municipality. State Advocate Jacomina Swart said: “The continued discharge of untreated waste water, containing high amounts of E-coli, into the rivers and Knysna lagoon, coupled with the overflow of manholes and several sub-stations containing raw sewage, is detrimental to the health of residents. The Knysna Municipality has for the preceding three years allowed the unabated flow of sewage water into this highly sensitive and protected ecosystem.” The other charges relate to the poor management of the town’s waste transfer station (rubbish collection point), plus causing “significant pollution and environmental degradation” from a housing development. The municipality admitted guilt on all counts and entered into a plea agreement whereby the court suspended the R10m fine for 5 years on condition the KM uses the same amount of money to conduct emergency repairs. It has to carry out a series of stipulated longer-term plans within agreed time frames and submit status reports. Acting Municipal Manager Boy Manqoba Ngubo acknowledged the seriousness of the environmental violations, and “the importance of protecting our natural environment and water resources for current and future generations”. “We have accepted responsibility and are committed to ensuring that corrective measures are implemented effectively and transparently.”
