The Lagoon remained closed due to the tests that were facilitated by the city which found alleged high levels of E.coli.
FILE: Milnerton Lagoon Beach. Picture: Milnerton Central Residents Association/Facebook
CAPE TOWN – Some Milnerton residents have accused the City of Cape Town of being dishonest in reporting pollution levels at their local lagoon.
It’s still closed to the public as tests done by the city have detected high levels of Escherichia coli (E.coli).
On Monday the city hosted a meeting with residents to discuss plans to decrease the foul smells from the Milnerton Lagoon.
Local, Dr Michelle Martins, argues that the pollution is affecting people’s health.
“The hydrogen sulfide is making people’s asthma worse, it’s making their conjunctivitis worse, it’s causing sinus problems, it’s really serious and we need to address it ASAP.”
Caroline Marx from RethinkTheStink, an environmentalist group, is accusing the city of not being transparent with pollution test results.
Marx added that they had to carry out their own independent tests.
“We only recommenced testing when we saw that what was being reported didn’t reflect what we were observing on the ground. Now again that causes a loss in confidence.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, insists that the city is not hiding anything.
“If there is any staff member who is guilty either by co-ownership or ownership (by/or) doing so I’ve made it correctly clear those are not our values.”
