The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation has welcomed the progress made by the Department of Water and Sanitation to address the challenges of pollution in the Gauteng municipalities of Emfuleni and the City of Tshwane, during a virtual meeting on Friday, 21 August 2020.

Commending the progress made in the two municipalities, Chairperson of the Committee, Machwene Semenya, noted the amount of work that has been done since the visit of the committee to these areas a few months earlier.

She however said there was a need to physically visit these areas again to ascertain the veracity of the improvements that were reported on.

Regarding security of water infrastructure, Semenya urged the Department to ensure that the companies appointed to secure the infrastructure, including the employees, were subjected to a thorough vetting process.

She said the credibility of the companies providing security at the infrastructure projects was of paramount importance, to ensure that the right calibre was being employed. 

With regards to Emfuleni Local Municipality, the committee noted that good progress had been made to repair key and critical pump stations and rising mains to make them compliant with their effluent discharge license conditions.

The Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) Gauteng Provincial Head, Sibusiso Mthembu, said the Department has made interventions relating to securing and safeguarding the infrastructure, while repairing bulk networks to eliminate spillages.  The spillages had become a longstanding challenge to businesses and communities in the area.

He said these efforts would achieve operations and maintenance levels required to minimise and stop the pollution of the Vaal River.

Regarding the upgrade and refurbishment of the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) in the City of Tshwane, the committee was informed that a number of challenges had already been addressed.

These included the emptying and cleaning of digesters, as well as the stripping and removal of old filter belts and pressers at the dewatering building which is almost complete.

The committee noted that there was significant work being conducted to ensure the successful completion of the refurbishment to improve the quality of the effluent being discharged into the Apies River.

DWS’s Deputy Minister, David Mahlobo, said the role the committee played in resolving some of the impasse has made a huge impact in this regard.