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Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu has expressed a great deal of optimism about the progress made thus far on the Sedibeng Sewer Scheme Project and Vaal River System Interventions through Emfuleni Section 63 intervention projects in the Sedibeng District. 

On Tuesday, 29 August 2023, Minister Mchunu dedicated the whole day to conducting an oversight in the Vaal region, to assess the upgrades and refurbishments that are undertaken to improve critical bulk pipelines and pump stations in the regional networks. 

The upgrades are intended at ensure that waste water systems functions optimally and more importantly to eventually put an end to the protracted pollution at Vaal River and its tributaries. Rand Water is an implementing agent of this project as appointed by the Minister. 

Minister Mchunu embarked on a walkabout at no less than eight (8) construction sites in the Sedibeng Region. Among the treatment works visited that are going though mechanical and electrical repairs were Sebokeng Wastewater Treatment Works which currently being salvaged and upgraded from 100 M/L a day to a further 50 M/L a day, Leeuwkuil Wastewater Treatment Plant’s capacity is in the process of being increased from 36 M/L a day to 51 M/L per day, Rietspruit Wastewater Treatment works were also assessed.  

Although the issue of vandalism of infrastructure reared its head in almost all the treatment plants visited, Minister Mchunu expressed contentment about the progress made. 

Minister Mchunu and his delegation which included Executve Mayor of Emfuleni Local Municipality, Cllr Sipho Radebe, Rand Water Chairperson, Mr Ramateu Monyokolo and Chief Executive, Mr Sipho Mosai, officials from Rand Water, the DWS, Office of the Premier, and the Emfuleni Municipality, visited the Rothdene Pump Station which falls within the Midvaal Local Municipality, and transfers wastewater to Meyerton Wastewater treatment work, Rothdene Pump Station capacity is 625 ℓ/sec and the rising main is 4.7 km long and diameter of 900mm  HDPE pipeline. Rothdene services the following main areas: Meyerton, Henley on Klip and Rothdene. 

During his visit to the Vaal, Minister Mchunu also inspected the ongoing rehabilitation of pipelines such as; VE10, Tshepiso South, Vereeniging, VB16, Bophelong and site EV18, Lakeside, Evaton. 

Furthermore, Minister Mchunu also made a courtesy visit to Mrs Nomali Mhlambi’s house in Vereeniging, whose house floated in the spillage sewer for years before the issue was addressed through Emfuleni Section 63 intervention.  Mrs Mhlambi expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Department of Water and Sanitation and Rand Water for coming to her rescue after Emfuleni Local Municipality dismally failed to resolve the matter. 

Minister Mchunu conveyed fulfilment to the fact that Rand Water as an implementing agent has made some notable headway in addressing sewer spillages and water pollution thereof. 

“Two weeks ago, we instructed Rand Water as the implementing agent to present a report of progress that they have made in Emfuleni, they gave us a comprehensive presentation showing a lot of progress overall, We are here to indeed monitor, evaluate and verify if indeed there is progress. I can confirm that there is vast difference between before and now and we are excited about that” Minister Mchunu said.   

The afore-mentioned progress that is making a lot of difference in the residents lives, both socially and economically, came as a result of Minister Mchunu’s decision to invoke and place Emfuleni Local Municipality under Section 63 of the Water Services Act and took over water and sanitation services, this came after municipalities in question were unable to manage its water and sanitation services which resulted in sewer spillages in communities and into the Vaal River and ultimately polluting raw water source. 

Issued by the Department of Water & Sanitation