Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu has applauded the progress made in attending to the sewage spillages in Matjhabeng local municipality in the Free State and committed to continuous monitoring of the work being done in the municipality.

Mchunu said that he was happy with the work done thus far, adding that it was important to rehabilitate the municipality back to an economically active municipality.

“We've been here a few times and made an undertaking that we will assist in resolving the sewage challenges faced by this municipality”.

“We wanted to make sure when we go to public platforms and talk about the work we are doing on the ground, we are sure of what we are talking about, and have seen it,” Mchunu explained.

Mchunu was invited by the Matjhabeng Mayor Thanduxolo Khalipha, to assess progress on sewer rehabilitation work being done in the municipality since the last visit earlier this year.

Khalipha and Mchunu were joined by water board Bloemwater chairperson Tefetso Phitsane.

Bloemwater was appointed as the implementing agent after the municipality declared itself a disaster area owing to the sewage problems and dysfunctional wastewater treatment plants.

The municipality’s sewer network comprises of 1 534 km with 25 929 manholes, 57 pump stations and 11 wastewater treatment works (WWTW). A total of 51 of the pump stations and nine WWTWs are currently not functional owing to various challenges such as theft, vandalism, illegal mining activities, misuse of sewers, ageing infrastructure, and illegal mining.

DWS has committed R425-million to assist in resolving the Matjhabeng wastewater problems. Of the committed budget, R150-million has been allocated in this financial year to repair and refurbish some of the WWTWs and pump stations, and repair or replace manholes.

Mchunu says the department will be keeping a close eye to ensure that the money is used correctly for the benefit of the people of Matjhabeng. “We are going to make sure that the money we allocated is going where it is meant to go, that the entire budget does what it is meant to do,” Mchunu declares.

Mchunu’s Matjhabeng infrastructure assessment “kicked off” at the Lakeview pump station, which was refurbished through a partnership with world’s largest platinum producer Sibanye Stillwater.

The pump station currently pumps six mega–litres a day, feeding into Theronia WWTW in Welkom, which was the second stop for the day. The WWTW began operations on November 2, 2022 and progress on the operations will be monitored as more waste is pumped in.

After assessing the T8 pump station in Thabong township in Free State, Mchunu joined a clean-up campaign led by the municipality next to the station and cautioned residents not to dispose of waste on non-dumping sites as this may result in health and environmental hazards.