The DA in Limpopo will request the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to urgently intervene at the collapsed Tzaneen Water Treatment Plant through the funding of emergency rehabilitation and the appointment of an implementing agent to fix, run and maintain the plant.
A DA delegation conducted oversight and found the treatment plant in a severe state of neglect and disrepair. (See photos here and here).
The treatment plant has reportedly been non-operational for over four months; the inlet works are not operating as two new mechanical screens, water wash screws and a conveyer and compactor are required.
The de-gritting system needs to be refurbished and upgraded with new technology.
The municipality is severely cash strapped and incapable of rehabilitating the treatment plant at a minimum cost of R2.2 million.
We found evidence of sewage being loaded into skip bins, clearly to be dumped elsewhere and raw sewage running through the system straight into the Letaba River. (See photos here and here)
On 17 April 2024, the DA laid criminal charges against the Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM) for multiple incidents of sewage overflow in town as well as the contamination of rivers.
Following the criminal charges, the GTM made some cosmetic upgrades, but is still not complying with the directives issued by DWS, which is delaying criminal proceedings.
The continuous sewage leaks and the dysfunctional treatment plant continue to pollute the Letaba River which provides essential water for the region’s massive subtropical agriculture sector, supports local communities and feeds key storage areas like the Tzaneen Dam.
It is clear that GTM is incapable of complying with DWS directives and the COGHSTA interventions at dysfunctional wastewater treatment plants across the province have proven ineffective. The majority of treatment plants in Limpopo are non-compliant to Green Drop standards.
A lack of urgent remedial action at the treatment plant will lead to an environmental disaster and have disastrous consequences for the health of the community as well as the economy. An intervention by DWS is the final recourse.
If voted in to govern the GTM, the DA will focus on aggressive infrastructure maintenance, transparent public reporting on water and environmental health and strict legal accountability for responsible officials.