This is according to Klippies Kritzinger, the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) covering Vanderbijlpark, Vereenigeng and Sasolburg who was on the OFM Business Hour to provide an update on the economic situation in the Vaal.

Kritzinger says the local municipalities in the area remain dysfunctional despite the proposed changes made by municipal leadership on the back of the 2021 local government elections. With that said, he stresses that the answer to these challenges lies with businesses and not government.

“The time is now for businesses to stick together. We cannot wait for municipalities to be our saviour in our community. We see a rapid growth in our membership and people joining the business chamber” says Kritzinger.

Vaal River still polluted, despite varied interventions

The Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) President and CEO, says all the interventions from national and provincial level aimed at curbing the polluting of the river by Emfuleni Local Municipality in Gauteng have all but failed. He notes receiving images on Monday, 5 September, that show the extent of the pollution at the Vaal River barrage. 

Also Read: #VaalRiverPollution: Raw sewage 'dumped' into river

To add to the ongoing problem, Kritzinger says saw sewage is now landing in the Vaal Dam at the hands of Deneysville which falls under the Metsimaholo Local Municipality. It has been reported that Metsimaholo’s sewerage plant is overflowing and in a last ditch effort to contain the situation, the Free State municipality intends on completing the erection of a pipeline that pumps sewage from Refenkgotso into the Vaal Dam, hence Kritzinger’s comments.

On the calendar for the GTCoC

Bad news aside, on 22 September 2022, the chamber is hosting a Captain’s of Industry  event where North West University (NWU) political specialist, Theo Venter, will be addressing attendees on the country’s political situation.