Deputy minister probes Kamfers Dam, other Northern Cape pollution hotspots

THE DEPUTY Minister of Water and Sanitation, Sello Seitlholo, is heading to the Northern Cape this week to inspect some of the province’s most pressing water pollution challenges as part of a national oversight campaign.

Seitlholo’s visit, scheduled for Tuesday, July 22, and Thursday, July 24, will focus on monitoring pollution levels and strengthening enforcement measures in the water sector. The Northern Cape is the final stop in his national tour aimed at tightening regulations and improving compliance across all nine provinces.

On Tuesday, the deputy minister will begin his inspection at Kamfers Dam in Kimberley at 10am, followed by a site visit to the Homevale Wastewater Treatment Works at 11.30am — both sites that have faced ongoing concerns over pollution and infrastructure management.

On Thursday, Seitlholo will travel to Kuruman for a 12.30pm inspection of the Kuruman Eye, a crucial natural spring and water source in the Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality.

The visits will be accompanied by high-level discussions with key stakeholders, including representatives from Sol Plaatje and Ga-Segonyana local municipalities, Vaal Central Water Board, VOCMA, and the provincial Department of Water and Sanitation. The aim is to find practical solutions to ongoing water quality issues and to strengthen inter-governmental collaboration.

Kamfers Dam has been in the news recently, with the pan making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The DFA reported on Friday that recent plans to expand sewerage infrastructure in the nearby Roodepan housing development have sparked concern among environmentalists, with a local biologist warning that the project could jeopardise the fragile ecosystem around the dam — once a key breeding site for the near-threatened lesser flamingo.

Although no construction has commenced, questions have been raised about the potential strain on the partially functional Homevale Wastewater Treatment Works, which is already discharging excess effluent into Kamfers Dam. The biologist noted that “flamingos will only return if a fine balance is restored”, adding that domestic development near the wetland could introduce further ecological risks, including increased dog activity and waste.

The biologist also flagged the lack of public consultation and the absence of a visible Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, despite assurances from authorities that special environmental conditions had been included.

In response, Coghsta spokesperson Babalwa Mzambo confirmed that detailed town planning had been completed and that the EIA had been finalised with special conditions for environmental authorisation. 

According to Mzambo, Sol Plaatje Municipality had verified that there was sufficient capacity for sewerage, water, and electricity, and that stormwater drainage systems would be implemented during internal service installations. She also noted that buffering techniques were applied to address pipe leaks sustaining a wetland discovered on the site. 

However, Mzambo emphasised that the potential impact of additional sewerage lines on Kamfers Dam was not the responsibility of Coghsta.

Meanwhile, in response to a court order, Sol Plaatje Municipality has committed over R11 million to refurbish the Homevale plant and the Carters Glen pump station. It has also accepted pipe donations from Transnet to replace collapsed infrastructure and plans to engage private security by August to curb ongoing vandalism.

Despite these assurances, the project has drawn criticism from political parties such as ActionSA, which accused the government of using the development as a pre-election ploy ahead of a by-election in Roodepan on July 23.