A comprehensive action plan to address infrastructure deficiencies at eMalahleni Local Municipality, Mpumalanga has been developed. The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court has fined the municipality an amount of R650 million of which R150 million is suspended. This is in lieu of the non-functional waste water treatment plants that have caused spillages and sippage of untreated effluent to the water resource.
Noting the judgement, MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), Mr. Speed Mashilo underscored that the Department had already started with a series of interventions such as the upgrading of the Ferrobank Waste Water Treatment Plant where the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency was roped in to assist in the acceleration of the project implementation for refurbishment and upgrading from 12 MU Day to 23 MU Day. To date, the project is currently at 27% completion and is funded from the Municipal InfrastructureGrant allocation to the value of R309 million.
"I have taken note of the court order and we shall be continuing to work closely with the Municipality to address the noted infrastructure deficiencies. The R500 million shall be focused at ensure the progressive infrastructure upgrades and improvements which had already started being rolled out. We shall do all our level best in assisting eMalahleni to fix these noted deficiencies through the necessary refurbishment and rehabilitation of aged infrastructure and that which requires urgent upgrades", assured MEC Mashilo.
The interventions include regular meetings to receive updates and direct further actions to prioritise this matter and to address the defaults urgently. "We remain vigilant and shall add more technical assistance to enable the Municipality to recover from this quagmire", concluded MEC Mashilo. In delivering the ruling, State Advocate, Beauty Cibangu stressed that, "the severity of the transgressions will have a shattering bearing on the ecosystem, public health, ecological dilapidation, and economic harm to the affected communities". The Municipality has been ordered to use the imposed R500 million fine to rehabilitate all identified waste water infrastructure by April 2031.
Enquiries:
Communications Directorate
Freddy Ngobe
Cell: 082 859 4630
E-mail: flngobe@mpg.gov.za
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