A Threat to Public Health and Human Rights

Mismanagement and Neglect Expose Mogale City Residents to Health Risks Amid Sewage Crisis.

Reports of wilful and persistent sewage pollution by the City of Mogale reveal more than an environmental disaster; they highlight a human rights violation with the potential to cause a public health crisis. The sewage infrastructure in Mogale has collapsed, leading to the deliberate release of thousands of litres of raw sewage into rivers and residential areas. This sewage pollution has severely impacted livelihoods along the Bloubankspruit and Crocodile river, which flow through the Cradle of Humankind.

It has further been reported that the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has paid the municipality more than R35 million to fund equipment repairs at the Percy Steward Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) but it seems as if the problem has worsened.

“The City’s operating surplus is R424 million (revenue minus expenses), and the capital expenditure for 2023/2024 is R520 million, with R412 million for 2024/2025, resulting in an overall surplus of R11.5 million. The big question is, what are these capital expenditure projects, and why have they not prioritized the WWTW?” said Dr. Ferrial Adam, Executive Manager of WaterCAN.

“It is alleged that the City has prioritized the construction of a new office block at the cost of R150 million, whereas they could have used R80 million to fix the Percy Steward WWTW. This is completely unacceptable and seeing that pollution of this nature is criminal, it should be treated as such. WaterCAN calls on the AGSA to conduct an immediate audit on the project and stop such fruitless expenditure on unimportant vanity projects,” continued Adam.

WaterCAN reiterates its call for Treasury to ringfence water and sanitation tariffs to ensure proper service delivery through adequate infrastructure development and maintenance and to conduct a detailed audit on the DWS funds provided for Mogale’s WWTW.

“If the AG finds that the funds have been spent incorrectly then the money must be recouped from those accountable in their personal capacity. We will only see this kind of mismanagement of funds being stopped when people are fired or put in jail.” Concluded Adam.