BIG STINK: Nelson Mandela Bay sewage failure a ‘human rights crisis’
SA Human Rights Commission findings paint a troubling picture of beaches, rivers and wastewater systems under pressure, with serious questions raised about pollution, monitoring and the state of the metro’s ageing infrastructure.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has issued a stark warning that the sewage and wastewater crisis in Nelson Mandela Bay is a "human rights crisis" that threatens constitutional rights. After an investigation, the commission found evidence of pollution, inadequate monitoring, and failures to prevent wastewater-related contamination, raising serious concerns about the metro's ageing infrastructure.
The report, released in July, highlights that water-quality problems in the area are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of sewage-related pollution risks, wastewater infrastructure failures, and monitoring challenges. SAHRC Eastern Cape provincial manager Eileen Carter stated that the results include extremely elevated faecal indicator organisms, high organic loading, elevated nutrients, and critically low dissolved oxygen.
The commission has given Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality 30 days to submit a remedial action plan addressing the findings, including investigating pollution hotspots, strengthening water-quality monitoring, and reporting on progress.
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