Department of Water and Sanitation pleased with R150 million fine imposed on Govan Mbeki Local Municipality for polluting a water resource and the environment
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) welcomes a court judgement by the Bethal Regional Court in Secunda for imposing a R150 million fine on Govan Mbeki Local Municipality on Tuesday, 09 April 2024, for five counts for contravening the National Environmental Waste Management Act and National Water Act.
The Govan Mbeki Local Municipality was found guilty of causing significant pollution to the environment, interfering with waterworks, pollution of water resources, an act that detrimentally affects a water course, and failure to comply with compliance notices.
This is a culmination of a series of intervention measures undertaken by the DWS against the municipality as far back as 2019, in line with the Constitution and the Intergovernmental Framework.
In December 2019 and March 2020, the Department issued the municipality with directives to make representations addressing the risk assessment, intervention and potential rehabilitation plan and to implement all the recommendations in respect of the underlying problem in their area of jurisdiction. However, the municipality failed to respond nor adhere to the conditions of the directives issued to them within the stipulated timeframes.
In November 2020, the municipality compiled an assessment report and intervention plan with an approved budget for the commencement of a rehabilitation project in the area, however, no rehabilitation was implemented.
DWS Director-General, Dr Sean Phillips commended the enforcement team, saying the judgement has asserted the department’s role as a regulator of the water and sanitation sector.
“It has been our resolve to take all transgressors of the National Water Act to task and send a strong message that if people and institutions do not comply, we will not hesitate to act, without fear or favor. We want to strengthen our role as a regulator of the sector in line with all the prescripts,” Dr Phillips emphasised.
For more information, contact Wisane Mavasa, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 060 561 8935.
