The Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mr. David Mahlobo yesterday, 25 August 2023, met with key stakeholders from the Sedibeng District Municipality in Vereeniging and led a report back on the progress being made on the Section 63 Intervention in the District.
In 2021, Minister Senzo Mchunu invoked and placed Emfuleni Local Municipality under Section 63 of the Water Services Act and took over water and sanitation services after it failed to manage its water and sanitation services with resulted in sewer spillages in communities and into the Vaal River polluting the raw water source.
Rand Water was appointed as an Implementing Agent deliver an effective solution that will eradicate pollution in the river and its tributaries and address water and sanitation service delivery challenges, inhibiting both social and economic development in the region.
Deputy Minister was appointed by Minister Mchunu to chair the Political Stakeholder Committee of the project in the region to keep all stakeholders abreast of the progress in the implementation of the intervention.
The Intervention comprises principally of two major programmes within the municipality namely, the Sedibeng Regional Sewer Scheme and the Vaal River System Intervention.
The objectives of the Intervention include:
- Upgrading the current capacity management of the Emfuleni Local Municipality.
- Increase the capacity of the wastewater treatment plants to meet future demands.
- Optimise the operation of critical pump stations and replace the rising mains of those critical pump stations.
- Pipeline repairs and unblocking key bulk mains, and the refurbishment of old modules of the existing wastewater treatment plants.
- Safeguarding the infrastructure.
The environment has been challenged with an ageing water and sanitation network, sewage spillages into the Vaal River, and demand that exceed the design capacity of the current wastewater treatment capacity. Rand Water’s performance is being assessed against its pace in eradicating the water and sanitation service delivery challenges impacting residents and businesses which have had an adverse impact on social and economic development within the Municipality.
Rand Water presented a comprehensive overview to the stakeholders of the progress that it is making on the Intervention.
Progress reported include the upgrade of critical pumping station and critical collapsed pipes within Vereeniging, refurbishment of all three (Sebokeng, Leeukuil and Riepstruit) Waste Water Treatment Works and upgrading of the Rothdene pumpstation.
Rand Water also reported that all capacity upgrades were in final stages of procurements and that some were in the final stages of the appointment. These included upgrade of Sebokeng (50 ML/d), Rietspruit (35ML/d), Leeukuil (15ML/d) and Meyerton (10 ML/d). These upgrades will create the necessary capacity to unlock economic development in the Sedibeng region.
The project steering committee members welcomed the presentation and the progress reported and requested the Department and the implementing agent, Rand Water Board to increase the pace and to start looking at option to rehabilitate the Vaal River, by looking at projects for effluent reuse and beneficiation. The members requested regular technical progress meeting and to be kept updated by regular messages.
Deputy Minister Mahlobo indicated that whilst the Department was satisfied that Rand Water had made significant progress with the work that it had done, it needed to further accelerate its work in Emfuleni and achieve safe and sustainably managed water and sanitation infrastructure for the people of the area.
In addition, Deputy Minister Mahlobo said that “Rand Water must urgently begin to deliver a workable and effective solution that will eradicate pollution in the Vaal River and its tributaries”.
He further called on Water Utility to ensure that all information on the progress that it is making is shared readily with the municipality in order to foster a culture of a two-way flow of information between the two parties.
These interactive stakeholder engagement sessions are hosted by the Department of Water and Sanitation and include delegates representing community, business and environmental organisations in the Sedibeng District Municipality.
The intention hereto, is to improve communication with all stakeholders, and to ensure that they are kept informed and retain a vested interest in the work being done through the Intervention. “Stakeholder engagement has also been made a priority, where it is intended that the participation in meaningful discussion with all parties will ensure that the Intervention achieves its goals and objectives,” said Deputy Minister Mahlobo.
Deputy Minister Mahlobo concluded the meeting by urging members to play their role in protecting these assets.
For more information, contact:
Wisane Mavasa,
Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation
Cell: 060 561 8935
E-mail: mavasaw@dws.gov.za
Or
Kamogelo Mogotsi,
Spokesperson for the Ministry
Cell: 076 523 0085.
