Our Lifeline Streams Its Pollution

Nomanzi Mtshweni

The Vosman Stream used to be clean. Children swam in it, families caught fish, and gardens nearby produced fresh vegetables that fed the community and generated income. Today, the water is foul-smelling, covered in an oily film, and no one trusts it anymore.

Industries and mines around Vosman and Kwaguqa discharge chemical waste into the stream. Households also dump waste due to a lack of proper waste services. The result is polluted water that kills plants, makes animals sick, and causes skin infections in children who swim there. During municipal water cuts, families are forced to use this dirty water, which often leads to diarrhea.

Ms. Mathebula used to sell vegetables from her garden by the stream, but now her plants are dying, and her children get rashes when they come in contact with the water. “I can’t feed my family as I used to,” she says. Another resident reports that when it rains, children cannot cross the stream because the bridge is weak, making it a drowning hazard.

We urgently need the Department of Water and Sanitation to conduct independent testing to identify pollutants and restore aquatic life. The municipality and local industries must install guardrails and “No Dumping” signs, and there should be an investigation into the water licenses of mining companies. Additionally, both the community and industries need workshops to raise awareness about protecting the stream.

The people of Sinqobile and Vosman are calling for protection, accountability, and justice. Without immediate action, this contamination will destroy the stream and threaten lives.