Ema drags Kwekwe to court

Midlands Bureau
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has taken Kwekwe City Council to court after the local authority refused to pay a $50 000 fine for discharging effluent into the city’s water bodies.

EMA accused the council of contravening a law which governs and prohibits wanton discharge of effluent and solid waste into water bodies.

“The council, however, declined to pay such a fine and the EMA Midlands chapter, headed by their provincial manager Mr Benson Bhasera later approached the courts to have their case heard.

“This was after the fine was tabled before a council meeting, but councillors turned it down arguing the local authority was in financial distress and could not part with such a huge amount towards paying a fine to EMA,” said a council source.

Mr Bhasera confirmed the development saying the agency was now waiting for the matter to be heard before the courts.

He said the local authority was posing a health hazard by failing to manage their sewer reticulation and discharging effluent into water sources.

“We are suing Kwekwe City for discharging pollutants into public water bodies which is in breach of the Environmental Management Act Chapter 20:27 Section 57s (1) of 2017. Under the Act, local authorities and or companies are prohibited from discharging toxic or poisonous substances into public water bodies, rivers and or streams,” he said.

Mr Bhasera said EMA had also ordered the local authority to rectify the issue before the residents were exposed to contaminated water.

“We have directed the local authority to rectify the abnormally but their argument is that their sewer and water reticulation system can no longer cope with the growing population but that is not an excuse. We are now waiting for the court dates so that the matter can be heard,” he said.

Kwekwe Mayor, Councillor Angeline Kasipo said she could not comment as it was subjudice.