STANDERTON, Mpumalanga – Raw sewage continues to pour into the Vaal River at multiple points, three years after one municipality was fined R70 million and despite 96 criminal cases now opened against municipalities nationwide for sewage pollution.

The Lekwa Local Municipality in Mpumalanga was found guilty of environmental violations in 2023 and fined R70 million by the Standerton Regional Court, which ordered the municipality to halt pollution and repair failing infrastructure. Despite this, residents of Standerton and surrounding communities report that untreated sewage continues to flow unabated into the river.

Community representative and Independent Lekwa Party leader Corné Stoltz lodged a criminal complaint with the South African Police Service in April 2026. The complaint relates to more than two years of ongoing sewage pollution, despite previous interventions and legal action.

A criminal complaint has been lodged with the South African Police Service regarding the continued discharge of untreated sewage into the Vaal River by the Lekwa Local Municipality.

The matter was registered at Standerton SAPS on 23 June and assigned to Detective Nzimande.

Criminal complaint follows ongoing sewage pollution

The complaint follows more than two years of ongoing sewage pollution flowing into the Vaal River, despite previous interventions and legal actions.

In 2023, the Lekwa Local Municipality was fined R70 million for environmental offences relating to sewage pollution and non-compliance with environmental obligations. Despite this and national intervention by the department of water and sanitation, critical infrastructure failures remain unresolved, including the collapsed main sewer pipeline from the Mulder Pump Station.

Stoltz said the continued discharge of untreated sewage poses a severe threat to public health, the environment, biodiversity, agriculture and downstream communities that rely on the Vaal River as a vital water resource.

The criminal complaint requests that SAPS investigate possible offences in terms of the National Water Act 36 of 1998, the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998, possible non-compliance with court orders and directives issued by competent authorities, and possible criminal negligence.

The ILP said it will continue to monitor the investigation and will cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities by providing supporting evidence, including photographs, videos, correspondence and reports documenting the ongoing sewage pollution.

“The continued discharge of untreated sewage not only violates environmental legislation, but also poses a direct threat to public health, biodiversity and downstream water users, including communities relying on the Vaal River System,” Stoltz said.

Water and sanitation minister Pemmy Majodina has committed to ensuring that immediate attention is given to the matter. Officials have been instructed to determine the full scope of the required work and the associated costs so that funding can be released through the National Disaster Fund.

The necessary administrative processes will now follow, including the appointment of engineers, the completion of technical assessments, and the procurement of contractors to carry out the required work.

Critical infrastructure failures, including the collapsed main sewer pipeline from the Mulder Pump Station, remain unresolved. The community has demanded full transparency on how the R70 million fine was applied, including proof of expenditure on repairs as ordered by the court.

Emfuleni case postponed

Meanwhile, the criminal case against April Ntuli, municipal manager of the Emfuleni Local Municipality in the Free State, was heard on 3 March and postponed to 4 May so that the charge sheet can be amended. The state indicated that the investigation has been concluded and that further charges will be added, including charges filed by AfriForum in 2024 and 2025.

The case stems from three separate criminal charges that AfriForum laid against Ntuli in 2018, 2024 and 2025 regarding continued sewage discharges into the Vaal River. AfriForum laid the third complaint in May last year after raw sewage flowed into residents’ homes due to collapsed infrastructure.

According to Jaco Grobbelaar, AfriForum’s head for the central region, no improvements have been made since the first complaint was lodged. “The municipal manager ignores any complaints from the community, while our beautiful Vaal River is further polluted and destroyed,” he said.

Recent photos show that large quantities of raw sewage are still being pumped into the river. Residents recently had to pay out of their own pockets to remove water lettuce from the river due to increased sewage pollution that provided food for this harmful plant.

National crisis

Water and sanitation minister Pemmy Majodina revealed in a written reply to the National Assembly that 96 criminal cases have been opened against municipalities across all nine provinces for sewage pollution. The cases span 53 municipalities, with 53 cases still under investigation and 42 referred to the National Prosecuting Authority.

Environmentalist Benjamin Magongo said about 10 indigenous species, grazing fields and natural resources such as wetlands will be affected by sewage spilling into the Vaal River. “This is also going to affect butterflies, ducks, frogs, fish, livestock, birds, locusts and other different animals,” he said.

Stoltz said the minister has committed to ensuring immediate attention is given to the Lekwa matter, with officials instructed to determine the full scope of required work so that funding can be released through the National Disaster Fund.

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