Tshwane to address sewage spillages into Moreleta Spruit

Tshwane’s regional maintenance and water and sanitation departments are developing a plan to construct a temporary support structure for a sewage pipe that has been releasing raw sewage into the Moreleta Spruit for several months.

The pipe, located near Murrayfield in the east of Pretoria, was washed away during the rainy season, resulting in the ongoing environmental issue.

According to Ward 41 councillor Ben Chapman, the problem was first reported on December 30, with urgent warnings that the pipe was on the verge of collapse.

“Unfortunately, the municipality failed to take preventive measures, and the pipe subsequently collapsed, resulting in the continuous spillage of raw sewage into the spruit.”

Chapman expressed grave concerns over the ongoing raw sewage spillage into the Moreleta Spruit, which has been persisting for nearly two months.

He said the environmental degradation is causing widespread pollution, harming aquatic species and contaminating the ecosystem.

“The Moreleta Spruit flows throughout the city, and the sewage spillage is having a devastating impact on this vital watercourse,” Chapman emphasised.

“It is unacceptable for any government to allow the contamination of natural resources. I urge the sanitation department to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves and find a solution.”

He added that a delegation from the city visited the site on March 10 and is hopeful a resolution will be forthcoming to address this critical environmental issue.

Chapman said Tshwane metro’s slow response to the sewage spillage into the Moreleta Spruit is concerning.

He said despite prior warnings, the issue was allowed to escalate, resulting in nearly two months of unchecked environmental damage.

“It is troubling that the metro took so long to recognise the urgency of this situation,” Chapman said.

“Regional teams had visited the site previously, and it was clear that the repair required expertise beyond the regional water and sanitation department. While I acknowledge potential budget constraints, it is unacceptable to allow sewage to flow into the spruit for such an extended period.”

Chapman emphasised that the municipality’s delayed response is the primary concern, rather than the capabilities of the regional teams.

He urged the municipality to take immediate action to rectify the situation and prevent further environmental degradation.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said teams from the city’s regional maintenance and water and sanitation departments investigated the site on March 11 and it was discovered that the embankment has been completely washed away.

“Unfortunately, with the embankment completely washed away, it isn’t possible to install a temporary pipe as there isn’t any way of securing or mounting the pipe.”

Mashigo confirmed that the teams are now working on a plan to build a support structure to secure a temporary pipe while working on a long-term solution to save the spruit from any contamination.

“Upon receiving the complaint, the regional maintenance team did repair the pipe, however, the recent downpour totally washed away the embankment.”

Mashigo explained that the regional maintenance team will engage all the relevant internal and external stakeholders to assess if the ecosystem has been affected or not.

He said gabions must be installed to protect the embankment from eroding in future.

“The installation of the gabions will protect the embankment from soil erosion, therefore protecting the sewer pipe from any damage.”

He said the city will not deliberately allow Moreleta Spruit to be contaminated and ultimately affect the entire ecosystem.

“The city will always strive to ensure that preventative measures are in place, infrastructure is maintained and blockages are resolved in time.”

He said the regional maintenance team will engage all the relevant internal and external stakeholders to assess if the ecosystem has been affected or not.

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