Sewage still flowing into Vaal as residents demand criminal probe

Residents in Standerton say untreated sewage continues to flow into the Vaal River, prompting demands for criminal charges as government officials and the municipality dispute responsibility and progress.

Who is blaming whom

On 1 July 2026, Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo said the spill is caused by the municipality’s failure to maintain the infrastructure. Mahlobo and management from the Lekwa local municipality visited the site following residents’ complaints about water contamination.

History of court action and government intervention

In 2023 the Standerton Regional Court found the Lekwa local municipality guilty of polluting the environment by discharging untreated sewage into the Vaal River and fined the municipality R70 million. The court ordered the funds to be used to fix the infrastructure that caused the pollution.

Mahlobo said a sewer pump that was upgraded and handed over in 2025 is discharging effluent because of a lack of maintenance. He also said the department issued directives to the municipality and that the department committed R350 million through a regional bulk infrastructure grant, appointing Gert Sibande district municipality as implementing agent.

Progress and delays

The department’s work, including improvements at the Standerton water treatment works and refurbishment of sewer pump stations, has produced some improvements, Mahlobo said, but he conceded the project is behind schedule. The completion target was moved from 31 March 2026 to the end of July.

Residents demand criminal investigation

Cornelius Stoltz, a community representative and leader of the Independent Lekwa Party, opened a criminal case and filed a sworn affidavit requesting the South African Police Service investigate the municipality and its municipal manager for continued discharge of untreated sewage and failure to comply with legal obligations and court directives. The Citizen has seen a police document confirming that the matter was being investigated.

Municipality response

Municipal spokesperson Lubabalo Majenge said the court order action plan to address the contravention was submitted to the national department of water and sanitation and the provincial department of agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs, and that progress on the action plan is reported to those departments on an ongoing basis.

Public health and environment concerns

Mahlobo acknowledged that failures in water and sanitation infrastructure have led to excessive sewer spillages, exposing communities to health and safety hazards and contaminating the Vaal River, and said the department’s monitoring visit formed part of ongoing oversight of the Lekwa Ministerial Intervention Programme.

Further investigations and monitoring are under way as residents press for criminal accountability and the municipality reports progress to oversight departments.