The DA in Mpumalanga expresses grave concern with the provincial government and Lekwa Local Municipality’s laid-back approach to rectify the Standerton Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) polluting the Vaal River since 2009.
Despite spending over R73 million in the last 14-years on contractors hired to repair the plant, raw sewage still flows direct to the Vaal River today causing harm to the environment, and posing danger to livestock, fish, and people who depend in the river for survival.
Recently, CoGTA MEC, Mandla Msibi, revealed in a response to questions posed by the Democratic Alliance that this waste-water treatment plant is still plagued by:
- Ageing infrastructure
- The treatment works operating above capacity
- Theft of cables and vandalism of infrastructure
- Poor infrastructure planning and maintenance
- And an inadequate budget, amongst others.
The Green Drop Report for 2022 further reiterated that the Standerton Wastewater Treatment Plant is currently operating at 164% over capacity, and it achieved an overall score of 17% which places the plant at critical risk.
The intentional pollution of a freshwater reserve is a serious issue, and it is an offence listed in the National Water Act. Given the severity of the issue and as the treatment plant in the municipality is still plagued by capacity issues, the DA questions why Lekwa local municipality chose to spend a mere R73 million on repairs from 2009.
MEC Msibi also revealed that the province is going to need R350 million to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant and looking at the current trajectory of repairs conducted by the municipality, and at the rate they are going, it will probably take another those 70 years to fix the Standerton Wastewater Treatment Plant.
All the above indicates that the government is the biggest culprit in terms of polluting the country’s fresh water sources by failing to ensure that sewage treatment works are functioning.
In recent years, the Lekwa local municipality has been accused of mismanagement and has been taken to court by businesses and farmers around Standerton for failing to provide clean and sufficient water and electricity.
If they don’t have enough resources to fund repairs of the Standerton Wastewater Treatment Plant, the DA would suggest that the approach the National Department of Water and Sanitation because the Vaal is a national river that goes through other provinces.
The DA will also request more detail from MEC Msibi relating to current funding available for upgrading this treatment plant. We will urgently need a breakdown of the funding and a timeline for rectifying the problems facing this Standerton Wastewater Treatment Plant.