Pollution chokes Milnerton nature reserve

Civic organisations in Milnerton are accusing the City of turning a blind eye to pollution at the Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve.

Milnerton Riding Club chairwoman Hilary Smuts said she started noticing the stench of oil coming from a stormwater drain on the land at the beginning of the year. She said when she went to inspect, she also saw a pile of litter in the waterway.

The reserve is owned by the City, and the Milnerton Riding Club has been a tenant there for 43 years.

Ms Smuts said she noticed the oil smell shortly after former mayoral committee member for water and sanitation Zahid Badroodien and his staff came out to clean the waterway.

“They came about a year or 18 months ago and moved some of the reeds from where the stormwater drain is, and for a period of time, it looked like things were going well. Then we started to notice that there was quite a strong stench of oil coming from that area, and through this year it has gotten really bad,” said Ms Smuts.

She believes the oil spill and litter come from factories in the Killarney Gardens industrial area.

“What are they going to do about the situation, when are they going to do something?” asked Ms Smuts.

Milnerton Central Residents’ Association’s environmental head Caroline Marx said the Milnerton Riding Club had first brought the issue of severe littering and pollution to their attention in July. Ms Marx said they had approached the City about it on many occasions.

“It has been repeatedly escalated to councillors and officials appealing for their help. However, despite some cleaning up, the situation remains unresolved,” she said.

Ms Marx said the litter was likely to wash into the Diep River and Milnerton Lagoon with the next heavy rain.

“The City needs to ensure that all residents in surrounding areas have access to adequate refuse removal and that stormwater outlets have litter grids to stop the refuse washing into the rivers,” said Ms Marx.

Residents also needed to play their part by not littering, she said.

Meanwhile, acting mayoral committee member for water and sanitation Siseko Mbandezi said the City had recently tried to contact Ms Smuts to discuss the issues raised.

Mr Mbandezi conceded that the Milnerton Lagoon was in an ecologically poor state due to pollution entering the system from various sources.

He said everyone had a role to play in keeping our waterways, including our rivers, clean.

Mr Mbandezi urged residents to refrain from littering and illegal dumping.