BEITBRIDGE residents are worried about water in the Limpopo River that has turned green and is showing signs of contamination,which they fear may be a threat to humans, aquatic and terrestrial life.
The water in the river stretching for kilometres passing through Beitbridge on its way downstream has what appears be algae, but its sudden emergence convinced residents that the water may have been polluted upstream.
“We have inspected the river and collected samples. The pollution is not coming from Zimbabwe and we are still investigating,” Decent Ndlovu, the provincial head of the Environmental Management Agency (Ema) in Matabeleland South, said.
“We expect results from the laboratories soon.”
Beitbridge district development co-ordinator, Sikhangezile Mafu Moyo, yesterday published a notice advising the community about the contamination.
“Limpopo River's water has been contaminated by a green substance. Technocrats from Ema and water have traced the water up to the Shashe River and the water is the same. So it is suspected that the contamination may be from South Africa,” she said.
“Fortunately, Dam 1 that supplies Beitbridge Urban is not contaminated for now. So the fear is for the public who may use water directly from Limpopo or Dam 2. Samples were sent to a laboratory and results will be out probably at the end of week,” she said.
Social media was awash with posts about the contamination of the river shared upstream by South Africa and Botswana, while downstream, Mozambique also depends on the river.
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The Limpopo River, which is 1 750 kilometres long, starting from near Johannesburg, forms the physical boundary of South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, which meet at the river's confluence with Shashi near the Tuli Circle.
