Assume the brace position – Zandvlei Estuary
 
The Zandvlei Estuary and all persons interested or affected by this Estuary have been asked to assume the brace position because there might well be the need for a crash landing.
 
Two major environmental disasters are hitting the Zandvlei Estuary almost simultaneously right now. Firstly on Thursday night – a main sewer pipe collapsed in the Vrygrond Area – this pipe is under dozens of shacks. The situation was being maintained by pumping the sewerage into trucks and no sewerage was entering the canals. However there has been violence in Vrygrond and the trucks which were pumping had to be withdrawn for safety of the staff and the vehicles.
 
The pipe is a very large sectional pipe and runs eastward towards the sewerage farm. Basically it is the Southern Suburbs’ sewerage.
 
So now sewerage is now entering the Sand River canal which leads into the Zandvlei Estuary which leads into False Bay adjacent to the Muizenberg beach.
 
A contractor has been appointed to repair the pipe but, at this stage, we have no details of how long the repairs will take.
 
Secondly, the picture of the Sand River canal is self-explanatory. It was taken on Friday 20th April and shows the condition of the canal as it is at present. A mass of organic matter and litter which are ready to be transported into the main body of the Zandvlei Estuary when the first storm arrives.
 
Again, we are told that because of the gangsters and violence in the areas where this canal flows, the City has not been able to clear the canals.
 
The Zandvlei mouth was opened on Sunday – it will remain open during this sewerage and litter crises. The sand plug near the mouth however means that there will be limited outflow to remove sewerage, litter and plant material.
 
All persons involved are currently trying to find ways to address this situation but for the moment the sewerage and litter will keep flowing.
 
Please advise all water users to be cautious, this is going to be a LOT of sewage.
 
Brace yourself, this is very bad news.