Deputy Minister Seitlholo set to launch anti-pollution forum aimed at addressing Vaal River pollution
Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, Sello Seitlholo, is set to launch the Vaal River Anti-Pollution Forum that is aimed at addressing the long-standing pollution affecting the water quality in the Vaal River on Thursday, 03 October 2024.
The main objective of the Anti-Pollution Forum will be to co-ordinate, improve and integrate efforts for the management of the Vaal River quality in line with its determined resource quality objectives.
The forum will also provide high-level guidance aimed at ensuring the protection of the Vaal River as well as identifying remedial actions to mitigate the impact of pollution as a result of water-use sectors such as mines, agriculture and wastewater works, among others.
The Vaal River Anti-Pollution Forum will be a non-statutory forum made up of various stakeholders with a particular focus on stakeholders that are directly affected by the declining water quality of the Vaal River from the Upper, Middle and Lower Vaal.
The chairperson of the forum will be an independent candidate, to be appointed by the Minister, who has no personal interest except to see an improvement of the Vaal River water quality.
Members of the Anti-Pollution Forum will be mandated to perform duties which include, but not limited to:
- The co-ordination and support of awareness building initiatives regarding water quality management in the Vaal River catchment.
- Ensure adequate stakeholder participation in the forum processes.
- Investigate and recommend innovative and best applicable technologies to deal with water pollution.
- Enhance collaboration with various institutions to improve the quality of the Vaal River.
- Provide support to the existing catchment forums in the Vaal River.
- Publish reports on an annual basis to track the performance and implementation of recommendations and activities of the forum.
The Vaal River is one of the largest rivers in South Africa and a popular tourist destination that is becoming increasingly contaminated with pollution from mining, industries, wastewater works, agriculture and other sources. Therefore, the establishment of the Anti-Pollution Forum seeks to redeem the river to its former healthy standing of the past.
Deputy Minister Seitlholo, who will be leading the anti-pollution drive across the country on behalf of the Department, has since committed to ensure that through the Forum, polluters are taken to task and held accountable for their actions.
“We are a water-scarce country, as such, we cannot continue treating people who do not respect this precious resource with kid gloves. Through the forum, we want to ensure that transgressors are brought to book so that they account for their crimes. Any person or entity that continues to pollute water source will face the full might of the law,” said Deputy Minister Seitlholo.
The Department of Water and Sanitation will create a database with the names of polluters in the country. The database will be utilised to keep a record of all polluters in the country as well as their transgressions and actions taken against them.
“The National Polluters Register will assist us to bring attention and pressure to polluters, with the hope that it brings change in their behaviour. The register will then be placed on the departmental website where members of the public will be able to access it,” Deputy Minister Seitlholo concluded.
For more information, contact
Head of Communication, Dr Mandla Mathebula
Cell: 083 235 8675
E-mail: MathebulaM4@dws.gov.za
