Latest news with #WaterServicesAct
The Star
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Investing in infrastructure for a united and water-secure South Africa
Water is not only a basic human right, but also the foundation of development, dignity, and stability. As we confront the dual pressures of climate change and increasing water demand, the call to invest boldly and urgently in our water infrastructure is more critical than ever. This moment demands leadership, collaboration, and above all, unity. At the Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM) Climate Resilient Investment Conference in Maseru, Lesotho, last week, I reaffirmed South Africa's deep and unwavering commitment to regional water cooperation. As the host nation and an active member of ORASECOM, South Africa has long championed the sustainable and equitable management of transboundary water resources. These rivers not only feed our economies and cities, but they also bind us as a region. But our shared future hinges on action. ORASECOM's Basin-wide Climate Resilient Strategy and Plan has laid out the path forward. The identified priority projects, valued at approximately USD 7.5 billion, are not wish lists; they are essential for ensuring long-term water security, boosting climate resilience, and driving socio-economic development in our region. Here at home, the challenges are immense. Too many South Africans, particularly in rural and marginalised communities, continue to live without reliable access to clean water. In these communities, water scarcity translates into lost educational opportunities, worsening health outcomes, and deepened poverty. Infrastructure investment is not just a technical necessity; it is a moral imperative. As a proud member of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation in the Government of National Unity (GNU), I firmly believe that now is the time to pull all levers of government, business, and civil society in the same direction. The GNU has an extraordinary opportunity and a responsibility to rally collective resources, skills, and political will to transform our water sector. Our unity must become the engine of delivery. We are reforming the policy and legal environment to attract the investment we need. Amendments to the Water Services Act will enable improved service delivery, encourage efficient governance, and create clearer licensing and accountability mechanisms. These reforms are designed to make the water sector more attractive to investors, more transparent to the public, and more responsive to the needs of citizens. But policy alone cannot carry the burden. That is why we are accelerating public-private partnerships, including through the Water Partnership Office with the Development Bank of Southern Africa. We are creating real space for innovation and joint delivery. From wastewater treatment to pipeline expansion, and smart metering to water reuse, the partnership opportunities are not only abundant but also urgent. Yet no infrastructure can succeed without people. South Africa's water future depends on placing communities at the heart of every solution. Our participatory governance model promotes active citizen engagement, particularly through forums that uplift women, youth, and civil society voices. Partnerships with NGOs and academic institutions continue to inform policy and spark ground-level innovation. We must scale these partnerships to ensure that water justice reaches every corner of our country. The government must also lead with integrity. We are strengthening oversight through key funding instruments such as the Water Services Infrastructure Grant and the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant. At the same time, we are fully committed to confronting corruption wherever it exists. There can be no room for mismanagement or abuse when it comes to a resource as vital as water. We are working closely with relevant authorities to ensure accountability, transparency, and clean governance across all water infrastructure projects. The trust of our citizens is not negotiable—it must be earned through action and upheld by results. I am deeply committed, in my capacity as Deputy Minister and as a representative of the DA, to ensure that the work gets done. I am committed to a South Africa where every child, regardless of their geography or background, can open a tap and expect clean water. That is the South Africa we are working to build, one pipeline, one dam, one partnership at a time. In August, South Africa will host the Africa Water Investment Summit. It will be a critical platform to drive the kind of strategic investment and multi-sector collaboration that our continent needs. As we have assumed the G20 Presidency, we will champion water as a central theme, placing it where it belongs: at the heart of global economic resilience and sustainable development. By investing in infrastructure, embracing innovation, strengthening partnerships, and empowering communities, we can secure this life-giving resource for all, not just the privileged few. Let us seize this moment with courage and collaboration. What we do today will determine whether future generations inherit a South Africa of opportunity or a country of scarcity. We need to show the world what's possible when government, business, and civil society work in unison. The investment we make today is not just in concrete and steel, it is in the dignity of our people and the promise of our democracy. Water knows no borders. Neither should our commitment. Let this be the legacy we build together. A united, water-secure South Africa for all. Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo, Department of Water and Sanitation.
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Major progress in addressing Emfuleni water and sanitation challenges
The Emfuleni Local Municipality is making substantial strides in resolving its long-standing water and sanitation challenges, following decisive intervention by the Department of Water and Sanitation. The Vaal River System and surrounding communities have for years suffered from the persistent problem of severe sewage pollution and spillages. Despite several interventions by the Ekurhuleni Water Care Company (ERWAT) and the South African National Defence Force, the problem persisted. In response, the Department of Water and Sanitation invoked Section 63 of the Water Services Act in 2021, and appointed Rand Water as its implementing agent, to address the situation. According to the department, the intervention has already achieved significant milestones. These include unblocking and replacing collapsed sewer lines; refurbishment of pumpstations and existing wastewater treatment works; and assisting the municipality with essential operational tools of trade, including vehicles, and security. The department said the remaining work is now on upgrading the capacity of existing Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW), which are currently struggling to handle the increased amount of sewage due to population growth over the recent decades. The department attributed the progress to strong intergovernmental relations, including Gauteng Provincial Government, Rand Water and Emfuleni Local Municipality. The total estimated cost of the intervention is R7.6 billion over a seven-year period, including completion of the major capital works. The department highlighted that the scope of work will include the upgrades of four WWTW, which will require 3-5 years to complete, based on the engineer's estimation of the work. The scope of work includes upgrading four wastewater treatment facilities, Rietspruit, Leeukuil, Sebokeng, and Meyerton, an effort estimated to take three to five years to complete. Rand Water has been assisting the municipality through staff training and procurement of vehicles and equipment to carry out maintenance work, among others. The refurbishment of four pump stations has also been completed and are now fully functional. The replacement of 50 collapsed sewer lines have also been completed. 'As part of this work, two major projects were completed to replace and upgrade the main sewer pipeline from Rothdene pump station to Meyerton Waste Water Treatment Works, as well to replace the main sewer pipeline from pumpstation eight to pumpstation two. 'In addition, a third project to replace the rising main sewer pipeline from pumpstation two to Leeukruil Waste Water Treatment Works, is 90% complete. Due to these interventions, the incidents of sewage spillages into the community in Emfuleni have reduced markedly,' the department said. According to the department, this has resulted in an improvement in the quality of the effluent from the Waste Water Treatment Works into the Vaal River. However, the department noted that this improvement is limited by the fact that the existing WWTW remain overloaded, and the problem will only be fully addressed, once the capacity of the treatment works is upgraded. The department said it is hard at work to increase the capacity of waste water treatment works, noting that the capacity of Sebokeng Waste Water Treatment Works has been increased by 50 ML per day to 150 ML per day. Designs have been completed for a further 50 ML upgrade of Sebokeng Waste Water Treatment Works. 'Designs for the Rietspruit Waste Water Treatment Works (current capacity 36 ML per day), have been completed to increase the capacity of the WWTW by 50 ML/day. The contractor is currently on-site, [and] designs have been completed to increase the capacity of the Leeukuil Waste Water Treatment Works by 15 ML/day from the current capacity of 36 ML per day,' the department said, adding that work is expected to start anytime.' Work is still underway to increase the current capacity of the Meyerton Waste Water Treatment Works, from 10ML per day to 25 ML/day. As part of our overall intervention, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is being established to serve as a dedicated Water Service Provider (WSP) In the municipality. The establishment of the SPV aims to create a professionally managed, dedicated utility with full responsibility and accountability for the provision of water and sanitation services in Emfuleni. Discussions between the department, Emfuleni Local Municipality and Rand Water, are currently underway with National Treasury to obtain the necessary Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) approvals for its establishment. 'The department is satisfied that these interventions are delivering the desired results. We can boldly state, without any fear of contradiction, that, as a result of Minister's decisive intervention, incidents of sewage spillages into the community in Emfuleni have been drastically reduced. 'Ongoing upgrading of the capacity of Waste Water Treatment Works is necessary to ensure that the problem is completely eliminated. The department will continue to fund Rand Water to complete the upgrades of the three Waste Water Treatment Works,' the department said. To maintain momentum, the department believes that focused attention and energy must be directed towards fighting vandalism and theft of infrastructure and addressing the scourge of non-revenue water. The department also acknowledged the positive role that communities and other sectors, through the political steering committee, continue to play as we intensify efforts to address the water and sewage challenges in the area. – At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
18-05-2025
- General
Johannesburg area faces an 8-hour water outage on Thursday
Residents of Olievenpoort extension 40 are advised of a planned water outage on Thursday, 22 May, due to essential infrastructure work. The water outage will affect Northgate Street and Valley Road from 8:00 to 16:00, leaving customers without water. The water outage is necessary to tie a new 150mm pipeline to the existing 150mm mainline, part of efforts to enhance the local water supply network. While no alternative water supply will be available, the long-term benefit will be improved service delivery and continuity of water supply. The Department of Water and Sanitation has announced a R7 billion investment over the next seven years to tackle persistent water and sanitation issues in Emfuleni, Johannesburg. This intervention, enabled under Section 63 of the Water Services Act, comes in response to municipal challenges in fulfilling water service delivery obligations. Speaking at a post-Cabinet media briefing, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni outlined the progress already made in the region. 'Substantial progress has been made to date, including unblocking of blocked sewer lines, replacement of collapsed sewer pipelines, refurbishment of pump stations and assisting the municipality with vehicles, trucks, TLBs [tractor loader backhoe] and security for its water and sanitation infrastructure,' Ntshavheni said. According to the Minister, these efforts have significantly reduced sewer spillages and improved wastewater treatment outputs. 'This work has resulted in a major reduction in sewer spillage in communities of Emfuleni as well as an improvement in the levels of effluent from the wastewater treatment works,' she added. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
16-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
R7 billion plan to address Emfuleni water woes
The Department of Water and Sanitation has committed over R7 billion over the next seven years to address the long-standing water and sanitation challenges in Emfuleni, Johannesburg, with a particular focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of wastewater treatment infrastructure. Speaking at a post-Cabinet media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said intervention falls under Section 63 of the Water Services Act. The Act enables national government to step in where municipalities are unable to fulfil their water service delivery obligations. 'Substantial progress has been made to date, including unblocking of blocked sewer lines, replacement of collapsed sewer pipelines, refurbishment of pumpstations and assisting the municipality with vehicles, trucks, TLBs [tractor loader backhoe] and security for its water and sanitation infrastructure. 'This work has resulted in major reduction in sewer spillage in communities of Emfuleni as well as an improvement in the levels of effluent from the wastewater treatment works,' Ntshavheni said. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
