Govt will punish councils that neglect wastewater works

In SA’s journey towards inclusive development and sustainable growth, few things are as overlooked, yet as critical, as the effective operations and maintenance of wastewater treatment works. These are not merely technical installations. They are the last line of defence between our people and disaster. They are the silent sentinels that guard our health, dignity and the future of our environment.

The era of tolerating the neglect of our wastewater infrastructure is over. I will not stand by while treatment plants collapse, raw sewage flows into our rivers and the lives of residents, especially in townships and rural areas, are put at risk due to inaction. There will be zero tolerance for the failure to maintain wastewater infrastructure.

We have seen what is possible when infrastructure is respected. In Laingsburg and Matjiesfontein in the Western Cape, nearly R20m was invested to replace an outdated, unsustainable conservancy system with a modern wastewater treatment plant. The result was not just technical compliance. It was dignity restored to 117 households, water security, local jobs and hope.

This facility does not just meet regulatory standards. It exceeds them. It recycles water for irrigation, supports new housing development and ensures Green Drop compliance. This is what can happen when maintenance is prioritised, capacity is built and accountability is enforced.

Many municipalities across the country are still allowing their wastewater treatment works to deteriorate. They are discharging untreated sewage into rivers, polluting water catchments, killing livestock, and endangering lives. This is not just poor governance. It is a violation of constitutional rights. Infrastructure without maintenance is not an investment. It is a danger to society.

The department of water & sanitation is stepping up compliance enforcement across the country. Our message is clear: municipalities must maintain wastewater treatment works or face the full consequences of the law. One of the clearest examples of this commitment came in November, when the Balfour magistrate’s court imposed a R160m fine on Dipaleseng local municipality in Mpumalanga after finding it guilty of multiple offences, including polluting water sources, violating environmental and water laws, and ignoring compliance directives. For years, they had discharged raw, untreated sewage into rivers and communities, subjecting residents to inhumane living conditions, killing livestock and destroying livelihoods.

The judgment followed investigations by the department, triggered by community complaints. The municipality pleaded guilty to all counts. This is not just a legal victory, it is a milestone in our national effort to hold polluters accountable. The suspended portion of the fine, R40m, will only remain suspended if the municipality does not reoffend in the next five years.

We are taking real, tangible steps to support compliance. By enforcing the polluter pays principle, we ensure that those responsible bear the costs of remediation and future prevention. Green Drop assessments are being strengthened and linked to access to infrastructure funding. Enforcement teams are actively investigating breaches and issuing directives. And we are encouraging citizens to report pollution.

Through targeted maintenance programmes, we are also building local skills and creating jobs so that municipalities are equipped to manage treatment plants effectively. Oversight structures such as the Vaal river Anti-Pollution Forum, monitor performance, identify failures and push for urgent action. The forum brings together municipalities, industries and community representatives to identify failures, escalate issues and ensure accountability.

We must stop treating wastewater works as an afterthought, these are not back-end utilities. They are the front-line infrastructure. When they fail, communities suffer. When they function, they enable health, opportunity and growth.

Seitlholo is the deputy minister of water & sanitation