The deputy minister warned that pollution could not be treated as normal.
Image: eThekwini municipality/ Facebook
Fresh concern has grown over sewage flowing into rivers in communities across eThekwini, after Deputy Water and Sanitation Minister Jack Bloom conducted a two-day oversight visit to the metro on 20 and 21 August to assess the impact of failing wastewater infrastructure.
This comes days after Mayor Cyril Xaba led a separate clean-up operation to fix leaking sewer lines in KwaMashu.
Sewage spills threaten rivers, says Bloom
According to the Department of Water and Sanitation, Bloom inspected the Phoenix Wastewater Treatment Works, the eZimbokodweni River in the Amanzimtoti Golf Club area, and the Southern Wastewater Treatment Works in Merebank, where he examined reported pollution and sewage spills as well as the condition and performance of the wastewater infrastructure.
The inspections also looked at the environmental and water-quality impacts of the failures, what was contributing to them, and what interventions were needed.
Bloom warned that pollution could not be treated as normal.
“The deputy minister emphasised that pollution of rivers and other water resources cannot be allowed to become normalised and requires urgent corrective action,” the department said.
Bloom also committed to following up with the department’s Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Unit on directives previously issued to eThekwini, and on what action was still required to address cases of non-compliance.
He stressed that oversight could not stop at identifying problems. “An oversight visit must lead to action, and where directives have been issued, we need to see implementation and appropriate enforcement where required,” Bloom said.
Bloom hears community frustrations in Verulam and Buffelsdraai
Beyond the infrastructure inspections, Bloom used the visit to engage directly with residents affected by the ongoing disruptions.
In Verulam, he said he’d met with community members through the Verulam Water Crisis Committee, where residents shared frustrations about water supply and service delivery problems affecting their households.
He also said he engaged with affected residents in Buffelsdraai, listening to their concerns first-hand.
The department said these engagements allowed Bloom to weigh community concerns alongside information from municipal officials and infrastructure inspection findings.
Mayor tackles sewer leaks in KwaMashu
Meanwhile, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba carried out his own oversight visit this week, leading water and sanitation teams into KwaMashu Township to deal with damaged sewer infrastructure.
According to a statement posted on the municipality’s Facebook page, teams had already begun unblocking manholes and repairing broken sewer lines in Sections E, M, K, Siyanda and J when the mayor visited, accompanied by ward councillors.
The post said the operation was aimed at addressing “sewer infrastructure challenges” in the affected sections.
While some issues were resolved immediately, the municipality said teams would remain in KwaMashu throughout the week to deal with more complex repairs before moving on.
“After we have addressed all the identified problems in KwaMashu, we will move to other areas, as our intention is to eradicate water and sewer leakages across the City,” Xaba said.
Municipality and plumbers dispute resolved
The visits come just days after municipal plumbers raised complaints about their pay.
On Saturday, the eThekwini municipality said Xaba had helped resolve a long-running dispute with the city’s plumbers over pay, following months of engagements between the municipality and plumber representatives.
Under the agreement, hourly rates for the three categories of plumbers remained unchanged, and the 15% management fee would no longer be deducted from their pay, a change the plumbers welcomed as “a huge relief”.
Xaba said the resolution would allow plumbers to resume work under the city’s five main contractors and start addressing the service delivery backlog.
“I am happy that we have now found one another, as we have resolved the issues the plumbers were complaining about. This latest development paves the way for them to resume their duties under the five main contractors and start addressing the service delivery backlog,” Xaba said.
Prior to the resolution, the DA in eThekwini had lambasted Xaba for alleged inaction.
“Water depots across the city are closed due to the unending dispute between the municipality and disgruntled contractor plumbers.
“The mayor is nowhere to be seen during this crisis,” the party said at the time.
No more excuses, says deputy minister
Back in eThekwini, Bloom made clear that the scale and complexity of the challenges facing the metro could not be used to justify further delays, particularly where basic services were being disrupted, and wastewater failures were putting the environment at risk.
“We need to see a stronger and more urgent response to the water and sanitation challenges facing communities in eThekwini. Where problems have been identified, there must be clear responsibility, decisive intervention and consistent follow-through. Communities deserve to see tangible improvements in the services they rely on every day,” Bloom said.
He also called for stronger cooperation between the department, the municipality, water sector institutions and communities, saying any collaboration needed to be backed by clear responsibilities, measurable commitments and regular follow-up.
The department said the visit reinforced the importance of responsive and accountable government in ensuring communities had reliable access to water and sanitation services, and that water resources were protected from pollution.
It added that it would continue monitoring progress on the issues raised and engaging with the municipality to strengthen water security, improve wastewater management and promote greater accountability in service delivery.
