ActionSA alleges 20 billion litres of untreated sewage pumped into Cape Town waters

ActionSA has reiterated its call for the City of Cape Town to deal with what it said was a rapidly developing sewage crisis along Cape Town's coastline.

The party made submissions to an independent appeals panel after lodging a complaint against the City.

This was over irregularities in obtaining permits to pump sewage from three marine outfalls.

ActionSA said since the appeal was lodged two years ago, about 20 billion litres of untreated sewage has been discharged into Cape Town's waters in breach of licencing conditions.

ActionSA National Chairperson Michael Beaumont held a media briefing at Green Point's marine outfall today to again highlight concerns about raw sewage being pumped into the ocean.

Beaumont said the City keeps being granted permits to pump untreated sewage into the ocean despite public health and environmental concerns.

"ActionSA has grown concerned about the fact that the licencing conditions which are given to the City of Cape Town to put sewage out into this natural environment have not been met over a very long period of time."

The City has refuted ActionSA's claims, saying it has not received any new permits, and its current permit is being reviewed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).