WeeklySA_AdminNEGLECT: Mogale City’s collapsing wastewater system is pumping millions of litres of untreated sewage into rivers flowing through the Cradle of Humankind, triggering health fears, environmental devastation and possible criminal action by authorities…
By Seth Thorne
Failures in sanitation management in Mogale City Local Municipality on Gauteng’s West Rand has left rivers and the wider environment contaminated, placing communities, heritage and ecosystems at risk.
The municipality is home to 440 000 people and large parts of the Cradle of Humankind world heritage site (CoHWHS).
Mogale City’s Green Drop score went from 75% in 2013 to 65% in 2021, and fell below 30% in 2025, placing it in the critical category, “the largest regression [in Gauteng], falling from average to critical performance”, noted the report.
The Green Drop Report from the Department of Water Sanitation (DWS) is the country’s benchmark audit to assess the state of wastewater treatment works (WWTWs).
All three of Mogale City’s WWTWs are in a critical state: Flip Human at 30% (down from 64% in 2021); Percy Stewart at 30% (down from 68% in 2021); and Magaliesburg at 27% (down from 49% in 2021).
The City received 0% rating for microbiological and chemical compliance. Microbiological and chemical compliance checks for harmful pathogens (like E. coli) that pose health risks, as well as chemical pollutants (such as nutrients, organic load, and heavy metals) that can degrade water quality and harm aquatic ecosystems.
DWS has issued a Red Regulatory Notice that requires the municipality to submit a Corrective Action Plan by the end of May. The plan must give a detailed, time-bound strategy for restoring its treatment works.
Trevor Brough, director of CoHWHS Association, said, “To call it an absolute disaster is an understatement.” He said facilities continue to discharge raw sewage into rivers already battling more than a century of acid mine drainage.
He described the Blougatspruit and Bloubankspruit, where Percy Stewart WWTW has its output, as “rivers of disease”.
A 2024 Water Resources Status report by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) identifies the Percy Stewart WWTW as a primary threat for the Cradle of Humankind site, with the worst pollution downstream of it.
Here E. coli counts consistently exceed 2,419 per 100ml, far above the CSIR’s “extreme high risk” threshold of 1,000 MPN/100ml. The stench of raw sewage is overwhelming.
Andreas Oberlechner, chairperson of the Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch, said that for 15 years the Percy Stewart facility was “basically pumping [raw sewage] straight back into the river … It has killed off the ecosystem of the Cradle of Humankind”.
Criminal neglect
Twelve of Mogale City’s 14 sewerage network pump stations were found to be non-functional. As a result, significant volumes of sewage never even reach the treatment works.
Of the sewage that does reach the three WWTWs, which have a combined design capacity to deal with 89,500 kilolitres (kL) of effluent a day, only 53,500 kL/d can be processed. The actual operational flow reaches 59,720 kL/d, resulting in about six-million litres a day of untreated sewage re-entering the environment from the works.
The department said that Mogale City has the lowest operational staff ratio in Gauteng with less than two qualified staff per plant. The City is also short three supervisors and seven qualified process controllers.
Under the National Water Act, the department has referred one criminal case for persistent pollution or negligence to the National Prosecuting Authority.
It has also issued one formal Notice of Intention to Issue a Directive, which serves as a final administrative warning before greater intervention or legal steps are taken.
The department had said it is also ring-fencing water grants for repairing and refurbishing the failing pump stations and treatment works.
Queries were sent by GroundUp over a week ago, but Mogale City’s executive management had not approved the responses at the time of publication. – GroundUp
MIRROR Briefs
TRC CASES DEADLINE EXTENDED
President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the deadline for the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) cases to December 18, 2026.
The commission is investigating alleged interference in the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes.
In May 2025, Ramaphosa signed a proclamation for a judicial commission of inquiry chaired by retired Constitutional Court Judge Sisi Khampepe, assisted by retired Northern Cape Judge President Frans Diale Kgomo and Adv Andrea Gabriel SC.
The original Terms of Reference of the Commission provided that the Commission would complete its work within a period of 180 days from the date of the Proclamation and submit its report to the President within 60 days after the date on which the Commission completed its work.
Ramaphosa has recognised that the Commission started its work late, that there were outstanding documentary responses; that there would be applications for cross-examination and that the Commission would be in recess from mid-December 2025 to early January 2026.
The President has accordingly amended the Terms of Reference to provide that the Commission must complete its work on May 29, 2026 and submit its report by July 31, 2026.
It would now continue its work until December 18 this year. This extension comes after Justice Khampepe, recently requested more time to complete their investigations and finalise their work. – Lehlohonolo Lehana.
DRUG OPERATORS TO FACE THE MUSIC
The eleven suspects arrested in connection with an alleged large-scale illegal drug manufacturing facility will appear in the Swartruggens Magistrate’s Court again in the North West next week, according to the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (HAWKS) .
“The eleven suspects’ case was postponed for seven days for interpreters, verification of immigration status and possible formal bail application during their first appearance before the Swartruggens Magistrate’s Court this morning ( Fri), facing charges related to drug manufacturing, illegal possession of precious metals, illegal possession of hazardous materials and contravention of the Immigration Act,” the Hawks said.
The case has been postponed to next Friday, May 22. The 11, who are made up of five Mexican nationals, two Mozambican nationals, one Zimbabwean national and three South African citizens were nabbed on May 13, 2026.
Their arrest followed an intelligence-driven operation conducted by Crime Intelligence Head Office, Organized Crime Head Office, and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (DPCI) South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (SANEB) based at Head Office and other stakeholders. “ Approximately 481 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated street value amounting to millions of rands has thus far been confiscated. It is anticipated that the quantity may increase once the entire scene has been thoroughly processed. The estimated value of the illicit drug laboratory exceeds R1 billion.” – SAnews.
EMBATTLED MINISTER FIRED
President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in terms of section 91(2) of the Constitution of South Africa, dismissed the embattled Minister of Social Development Sisisi Tolashe .
Tolashe has been facing a growing number of controversies in recent months involving donations to the African National Congress (ANC) Women’s League, of which she is the president, to dodgy appointments in her personal office and the alleged misuse of State-paid personnel employed to work in her official residence.
On May 6, Tolashe appeared before the parliamentary portfolio committee on social development to answer questions about several allegations and she denied the allegations, rejecting claims that she had been dishonest with parliament.
Presidential spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, says the President had weighed the decision carefully against the backdrop of issues that had already played out publicly.
“He has felt that due to a number of issues, a lot of which have been ventilated in the public domain, it was best to remove the minister,” he said.
In the interim, Ramaphosa has appointed Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, as the acting minister in the portfolio pending a full-time appointment in due course. – Lehlohonolo Lehana.
MEMBER OF PARLY TO FACE FRAUD RAP
Member of Parliament and leader of the National Coloured Congress (NCC), Fadiel Adams, has been granted R10 000 bail in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court in Durban.
Adams faces two counts of defeating the ends of justice and three counts of fraud.
The State accuses Adams of falsely claiming he was on official parliamentary duty to gain access to a hitman convicted of killing former ANC Youth League (ANCYL) Secretary General, Sindiso Magaqa.In her ruling, Magistrate Gwendolyn Robertson, said she had to consider several factors, including whether Adams was a flight risk, whether he would evade his trial, and his personal circumstances. All these factors had to be weighed against the interest of justice.
“As I have said, your evidence indicates that you are a family man, you have ties to South Africa, you have the means to travel to your place of trial, should this matter proceed to trial. You also, at this point in time, hold a position in Parliament, and that cannot be ignored,” She said.
Robertson said she was fully cognizant of the Constitution of South Africa, which provided that no person ought to be deprived of their liberty and freedom arbitrarily.
Adams has been ordered not to communicate with witnesses for the prosecution, namely members of the South African Police Services. – Lehlohonolo Lehana.
