Scores of Meyerspark, Murrayfield and La Montagne residents have signed a petition to the Tshwane metro demanding immediate intervention to deal with the ongoing discharge of raw sewage into the Moreleta Spruit.

It has been over a year since raw sewage began spilling into the Moreleta Spruit near Murrayfield in the east of Pretoria, and residents remain outraged as the metro continues to delay intervention, despite repeated promises of action.

The spillage, initially reported by Ward 41 councillor Ben Chapman on December 30, 2024, has yet to be resolved.

The metro acknowledged the issue in March 2025 after a delegation visited the site and found the embankment supporting a key sewage pipe had been washed away.

At the time, the metro said the washed-away embankment made it impossible to mount a temporary pipe.

“Both the regional maintenance and Water and Sanitation teams are working on a plan to build a support structure for a temporary pipe while developing a long-term solution.

“The pipe crossing and the embankment at the spruit will be supported with a rigid structure protecting both the pipe and the embankment from being washed away again,” said metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo.

He said the city prioritises sewer spillages: “We try our best to respond to urgent environmental and public health threats. However, there can be unforeseen circumstances that can delay the turnaround time.”

However, to date, no permanent visible remedial work has taken place.

Residents said this is not an isolated incident. “This is a prolonged, well-documented environmental violation that has been reported repeatedly, supported by evidence, and yet deliberately ignored. The continued inaction by Tshwane metro is not only unacceptable; it is unlawful,” read the petition.

The petition demands the immediate repair of the leaking sewage infrastructure and urgent containment measures to stop further pollution of the Moreleta Spruit. Residents also want full disclosure of the cause of the failure and actions taken to date, and that officials responsible for this ongoing neglect should be held accountable.

Chapman said the discharge of untreated sewage into a natural watercourse constitutes a clear breach of South African law. These laws include the National Water Act; the National Environmental Management Act; and Section 24 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or well-being.

“By allowing this to continue, the City of Tshwane is actively endangering public health, contaminating groundwater, and polluting borehole water relied upon by residents. The presence of harmful pathogens such as E. coli makes this a serious and immediate health risk.”

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the city has been actively working towards a permanent resolution.

He added that, however, the required remedial activities are classified under Section 24 of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), and therefore require prior environmental authorisation.

“To ensure compliance with legislation and avoid unlawful action, the city has followed the prescribed process for approval. In the interim, temporary mitigation measures have been implemented to limit and manage the sewage leak as far as reasonably possible while the authorisation process is underway.”

Mashigo said the city acknowledged the seriousness of sewer spillages and their potential environmental implications.

“It is for this reason that interim measures have been implemented to contain and reduce the impact of the discharge while the required environmental authorisation is being finalised. The city remains committed to resolving the matter in full compliance with environmental legislation and ensuring a sustainable, long-term solution,” he explained.

He said a maintenance team has been assigned to clean the sewer line regularly as a temporary measure

Chapman said he recently approached the Gauteng Environmental Department for help but it indicated that the matter does not qualify as an emergency under NEMA. It reportedly said that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process will be required for a permanent solution.

“This statement is reckless, negligent, and indefensible. It reflects a complete failure of duty and accountability.

“This does not absolve the city from its responsibility to stop ongoing pollution immediately.”

Chapman said the residents plan to take legal action against the metro.

“If immediate action is not taken, residents will escalate this matter without hesitation through all available legal and oversight channels, including the Public Protector, the Department of Water and Sanitation, and the courts.”

He said this is not a service delivery complaint.

“This is a continuing environmental offence and a direct threat to the health, dignity, and rights of residents.”

He warned that at present, sewage is entering a natural watercourse and the temporary measures installed are clearly failing due to erosion.

“Allowing this situation to continue while officials point to legislation and processes is simply not acceptable.

“Environmental legislation exists to protect the environment, not to be used as an excuse while pollution continues unchecked. The city has both a legal and moral duty to ensure that the discharge of sewage into the Moreleta Spruit is stopped as a matter of urgency.”

Chapman said he therefore expects urgent intervention to stabilise the temporary infrastructure and prevent further pollution while the EIA process runs its course.

“This matter cannot be allowed to drag on while a river system is being contaminated.”

Previously, a chemistry lecturer and researcher at the University of Pretoria, Dr Alseno Mosai, warned about the impact of ongoing spillage and its widespread environmental and public health impacts.

“It is very important for the government to prioritise the spillage, as it disturbs the natural ecosystem, thus negatively impacting the air, water and soil quality as well as the livelihood and the health of living organisms. These include plants and aquatic animals in the area,” he explained.

He said sewage contains harmful levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and disease-causing pathogens, which pose risks to both humans and ecosystems.

Mosai said residents in the vicinity of Moreleta Spruit are also negatively affected as they breathe the polluted air and use the polluted water.

“Waterbodies in Silverton, Waltloo and Hartbeesspruit are negatively impacted by the spillage since they are fed by the water from the Moreleta Spruit,” he said.

“Recently, South Africa has been experiencing a high volume of rainfall, meaning that the water flow from Moreleta Spruit to other waterbodies has increased drastically. As a result, the environmental damage caused by the spillage is far greater than what is anticipated.”

He said some studies have indicated that stormwater runoff can lead to acute and chronic illnesses because of contaminated drinking water, consumption of affected animals such as fish, and just being in contact with the polluted water.

“Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised people have a high chance of being greatly affected by waterborne pathogens.”

He said these pathogens include E. coli, Norovirus, Campylobacter, human Hepatitis A virus, and faecal streptococcus, as well as other antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

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