Nyakallong will soon drown

Tshepo Tsie

By: Tshepo Tsie

Nyakallong is a very small township in Allenridge, under Matjhabeng Local Municipality and is one of the townships that are richest in minerals. Sewage dams will be the death of Nyakallong, there isn’t a street without one. Nyakallong’s biggest problem is floods in the sewage, which have a significant impact on the community.

The Harmony mine began releasing its toxic water into the Voel Pan and failing to maintain the dam, which is when the problem with the dam began. Our sewage pumps are also impacted, and the dam has turned into our community’s nightmare. Whether it’s winter or not, the townships’ dams are now full, unlike when they used to be dry in summer. In the township, there is a sewage storm. Because our sewage pump is inundated in the Voelpan dam, the sewage water is affecting some local schools as well as some houses in the community, causing flooding from the sewage water.

Due to the deep dams and the restricted roads caused by sewage water, the community members are extremely concerned about the dams and the potential harm they could cause to their children, especially now that schools have been closed. They claim that their children could drown in the dams.  The unfortunate thing about this situation is that the municipality is not paying any attention to the sewage problem.  There has been no response to the Facebook posts made by several community members urging the municipality to address this sewage problem.  Residents of Matjhabeng have been given a link by the municipality to report sewage links, but they claim that despite their reports, nothing is being done.

Other townships’ streets are not like ours.  We’re hoping that Harmony Mine and the municipality can work together to construct more sewage pump stations throughout the townships.