Residents hope the new attempt to stop sewage spills in Bronkhorstspruit succeeds

It is an environmental disaster. This is how Cobus Coetzee, councillor for ActionSA in the City of Tshwane (CoT), describes the continuous sewage spill that has been polluting Bronkhorstspruit for many years.

Residents were once again plagued by an overwhelming stench in the neighbourhood of Erasmus last week. When their complaints reached Coetzee, he visited the area and recorded a video in which he vowed to tackle the matter once and for all.

“After taking it up with the sanitation department, workers and a truck were sent to the scene. I was told it would take a few weeks to dig open and do the repairs,” said Coetzee.

This continuous spill has been a point of contention for many years.

Streeknews reported in May 2022 that residents of Versterpark complained about raw sewage leaking into Cultura Park for more than 20 years, and at times flowed directly into the Bronkhorstspruit River.

Back then, residents of this neighbourhood claimed they regularly reported the problem to the authorities for fear that the sewage would contaminate groundwater.

“The cause of the problem is apparently with the main drain pipe that was laid during the development of Cultura Park,” resident Fasie Smit told Streeknews at the time. Resident and former councillor Carin de Jager said the problem lies in the malfunctioning sewage pump.

In November 2023, Streeknews reported about sewage flowing from all over Bronkhorstspruit into the Bronkhorstspruit River, 500m from where untreated water is drawn from the treatment plant for consumption.

Jan de Klerk, a resident from Versterpark, explained at that time that sewage was flowing into the river from Riamarpark onto the golf course, from Cultura Park via Versterpark, and from Masada via Burger Street into the wetland.

De Klerk’s house is next to the river, and he has invested a lot of time and energy into finding a solution to the pollution. He consulted with officials from the Department of Water and Sanitation in September 2023 and pointed out the problem areas.

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“The main sewer line below Lanham Street cannot take the pressure and is leaking into the river.”

The sewage pumps on Lanham Street had not been working.

“Machinery at the sewage treatment plant had to be shut down because the pipes and couplings could not take the pressure, and leaks occur,” explained De Klerk.

Pump repairs were also delayed because of an outstanding purchase order, and rumours of contractors not being paid were rampant.

“Several reports were submitted to Pretoria, stating that millions of litres of raw sewage are going directly into the water source,” said De Klerk.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) ordered the CoT to repair sewer lines and to avoid blockages that lead to overflowing manholes and sewage spills.

De Klerk told Streeknews that at the beginning of October 2023, DWS officials vowed to do follow-up inspections. He hoped that the sewage spills would finally be over, but that was not the case.

“No action was taken to resolve the issue. The people from the Department of Water and Sanitation came again on November 10, 2023, to see if any work had been done regarding the blocked manholes in Bronkhorstspruit.

“After seeing nothing was done to solve the problem, they met with the municipality to find out what was going on,” said De Klerk.

“The municipality investigated on November 12 with a truck to blow open the sewage pipes. The truck remained on site for an extended period, and there was sewage all around the manhole that was blown open,” said De Klerk.

Streeknews reported that, according to municipal workers who tried clearing the sewage pipes, the problem lies under the N4 highway.

“The Department of Water and Sanitation is deeply concerned about the pollution running into the river system,” said De Klerk.

Streeknews again reported in May 2024 that the manhole north of plot 25 in Versterpark had been flowing continuously for months, even after a jet truck went to unblock the sewage lines.

De Klerk said residents with boreholes were worried because the sewage is slowly leaking into these water sources. The sewage was also still flowing continuously into the Bronkhorstspruit River.

“Investigations were done on the continuous spillage even after a jetting truck unblocked the sewer manholes. A contractor from Bronkhorstspruit was contacted and appointed to solve the sewage problem.”

De Klerk at that time said the contractor discovered a broken sewage pipe under the N4 highway.

“The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) was informed about the problem, and they requested a technical report about the blockage under the highway,” said De Klerk.

Jabu Mabona, head of Region 7, told Streeknews a camera inspection confirmed that the sewer pipe broke in the middle of the N4.

Mabona said two options were being considered at the time, which he described as either doing a trenchless process or doing a drilling process that would require an agreement with SANRAL and the CoT.

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Mabona said solving this problem was a priority.

By mid-June last year, Mabona announced work had begun on the sewage pipes in Versterpark, which reached their lifespan and had cracked under the N4 national road after a contractor appointed by the city worked on it.

“The contractor discovered the crack in the middle of the N4 road. We are now going to move to the next phase of the work: how we address the broken pipes in consultation with SANRAL, as they are responsible for the national road maintenance in the country.

“We are exploring options to address the Versterpark sewage pipe. Once again, we salute our sewer team, which is involved in replacing the old infrastructure that is causing sewage spills in the region.”

“We are refurbishing the sewer plants to operate optimally, and the residents in the region, through the IDPs, indicated the city should prioritise the replacement of some of the old infrastructure,” said Mabona.

Officials assumed the pipe was too narrow for the volume of sewage, resulting in frequent clogging and millions of litres of raw sewage spilling out.

The sewer pipeline runs from Cultura Park, through Cathie Street, and past Versterpark. In the latest push to end pollution, Coetzee promised to monitor progress and keep residents informed.