The Department of Water and Sanitation is engaging with Magareng Local Municipality in the Northern Cape regarding non-compliance with water and wastewater management, following concerns that raw sewage is contaminating the Vaal River.
THE DEPARTMENT of Water and Sanitation is engaging with Magareng Local Municipality in the Northern Cape regarding non-compliance with water and wastewater management, following concerns that raw sewage is contaminating the Vaal River.
Residents have been cautioned against consuming untreated river water in the Magareng, Frances Baard, Dikgatlong, Sol Plaatje, Siyancuma, and Phokwane municipal areas following a cholera alert.
The founder of the Municipal Public People’s Participation Forum, Jan Louw, stated that raw sewage was flowing from Warrenton’s wards 1, 3 and 6 into the Vaal River.
“There is an unattended manhole in Agosi Street in Ikhutseng that is also leaking sewage,” Louw noted.
He highlighted that the pumps at the Warrenton wastewater treatment plant were switched off periodically in order to save electricity due to the debt owed to Eskom. “This results in regular sewage spillages,” he said.
Louw added that the reservoir was bursting and leaking, while progress to repair water pipes and construction of a new water purification plant have been slow and construction remains incomplete.
“The auditor-general’s reports between 2020 and 2024 highlighted unauthorised expenditure on water tankering services, where funds were spent without proper authorisation or following procurement processes at Magareng Municipality,” said Louw.
“The auditor-general found that some of the water tankering services were either not delivered as per the contract or were unnecessary, leading to wasteful expenditure.”
He pointed out that R51.9 million was granted in the 2023/24 medium-term revenue expenditure framework budget through the municipal infrastructure, regional bulk infrastructure and water services infrastructure.
“This is while salaries amount to R53.7 million and infrastructure has fallen into a state of disrepair,” he said.
DA Magareng councillor Deidre Watson pointed out that the Warrenton wastewater treatment works was in a “critical state”, having significantly deteriorated over the past decade.
DA provincial leader Harold McGluwa added that the Vaal River near Warrenton was heavily polluted with plastic and bottles.
“There is a rotten smell, while communities face continuous water challenges and supply cuts,” McGluwa noted.
Residents also complained of bright red worms that were in their water supply.
Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) spokesperson Wisane Mavasa stated that they were addressing operation and maintenance support to create capacity and improve infrastructure at Magareng Municipality.
“The Vaal River is in a poor state due to a number of pollution sources that include spillages from Warrenton. The cholera present in the Vaal River is non-toxic. However, communities are advised not to drink raw water from the river due to the poor state of the Vaal River water,” said Mavasa.
She stated that while load shedding could impact on the water and sewage pumping, supply should not be purposefully interrupted in order to save electricity.
“The department is investigating expenditure to date on repairing water infrastructure as well as the lack of performance that led to the municipality terminating the mechanical contract and rendering for the remaining works. An external service provider has been appointed to audit all expenditure.”
She added that no funding had been allocated by DWS to repair the reservoir.
“The municipality is busy with an integrated network refurbishment programme funded by various programmes.”
The municipality did not respond to media enquiries.
Meanwhile, the acting head of the Department of Physical and Earth Sciences in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences at Sol Plaatje University, Professor Nhamo Chaukura, and his team this week discovered concerning levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in samples taken from three wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in Kimberley.
Chaukura stated that antibiotic resistance posed significant risks to both human and ecological health.
“Understanding and mitigating these risks is critical, especially as wastewater treatment plants often act as hot spots for such pathogens,” said Professor Chaukura.
“This pioneering research offers significant potential to improve wastewater treatment practices locally and globally.”
He envisioned the use of eDNA analysis to routinely monitor and track microbial activity at WWTPs in the future to advance public health and ecological stability.
“The research team plans to expand their scope to additional wastewater treatment plants across various districts in the Northern Cape, aiming to provide a broader understanding of antibiotic resistance in the region,” he added.
