Sewage being pumped into rivers, sea in Ugu
Residents in Margate and Ramsgate have told Newswatch they have seen contractors pumping dirty water into lagoons and eventually the sea in the area.
One resident says they are concerned about the impact this could have on the immediate environment.
"This is a very, very big environmental problem, even for the holidaymakers coming to the coast. They must go and swim in this black water and it's actually smelly.
"There's one 3-inch pipe pushing out a lot of black water into that river. It's smelling. I don't even know how to describe it. It's disgusting. There [are] some turds floating on the water," he said.
The municipality's France Zama says they are facing a very unfortunate situation where in space of a few days this week, both their sewerage pumps at the Margate and Ramsgate treatment plants have stopped working.
He says pumping dirty water into the lagoon is only a temporary relief measure.
"Yesterday we had an emergency meeting in order to alert all stakeholders and as a result we've even pleaded with various local authorities that we close down the beaches as a preventative measure in order to ensure that communities don't get the contamination.
"A full team from Environmental Health and all other stakeholders are there are trying to assess the situation," he said.
Zama has denied the municipality is being reckless with its handling of the matter.
(Photo: Supplied)