- Samples taken by an independent laboratory confirmed dangerous levels of E.coli found in the wastewater discharged by the Greater Tzaneen Municipality into the Letaba River
- Wastewater infrastructure has deteriorated, sewage is entering the environment and faecal contamination and poses a serious threat to human health and the environment
- The DA will lay further criminal charges, in addition to those charges laid on 17 April 2024
The DA will lay a further criminal charge against the Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM) for discharging sewage with dangerously high levels of E. coli into the Letaba River.
The results of tests conducted by an independent laboratory on 27 August 2026, at 3 different sites outside the GTM’s wastewater treatment plant, classified the water discharged into the Letaba River as Class IV and with E.coli levels of >2420 per 100ml.
The laboratory result of 2,420 E. coli per 100 ml of the South African National Standards (SANS) requires E.coli to be non-detectable in drinking water. A result of 2,420 per 100 mL represents an extremely high level of faecal contamination and cannot be regarded as safe drinking water.
What is particularly alarming is the ANC’s continued denial that raw sewage is being dumped into the Letaba River.
To compound matters, on 17 April 2024, the DA laid criminal charges against the GTM for multiple incidents of sewage overflow in town as well as the contamination of rivers, which has yet to be effectively addressed; but instead of confronting the evidence and fixing the wastewater treatment system, the ANC chooses to attack those who expose the problem. view photos here, here and here.
The facts are straightforward: wastewater infrastructure has deteriorated, sewage is entering the environment, and test results have raised serious concerns about the quality of water leaving the treatment system.
The consequences of this failure extend far beyond denial and lack of accountability; untreated sewage entering a river can introduce harmful pollutants and pathogens into the aquatic environment, threatening downstream water users, ecosystems and agricultural activities.
This demands urgent action from the municipality and the relevant environmental and water authorities.
The DA will therefore pursue a further criminal charge and demand that the authorities investigate the source, extent and environmental impact of the pollution.
Our communities deserve clean water, functioning wastewater infrastructure and a municipality governed by a party that takes environmental protection seriously