The proposed comprehensive artificial wetland wastewater treatment project is the brainchild of Gerhard Janse van Rensburg, an ICT specialist, who in the 1990s worked for an international ICT company as project manager, before venturing into contract work in Africa. For a number of years he has locally been working with the Golden Triangle Business Chamber before registering the NPO under the rubric of the Emfuleni Change Intervention Programme (CIP).

Early in February 2022 he made a presentation to deputy DWS minister, David Mohlobo and a number of provincial and national DWS and the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Environment (DFFE) officials.

In essence Janse van Rensburg’s proposal is for a pilot project at Emfuleni’s municipal pump station 8, primarily serving Peacehaven in Vereeniging. According to reliable data the dysfunctional pump station is responsible for 70 per cent of Emfuleni’s sewage wastewater that currently flows into the Vaal River Barrage.

Janse van Rensburg argues an artificial wastewater treatment system, would significantly relieve the demand for processing at the Leeuwkuil wastewater treatment works, near Sharpeville. Emfuleni’s existing wastewater plants are unable to absorb all the inflowing waste of Emfuleni, local industries and upstream metropolitan areas, especially in Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg.

Departmental experts participating in the presentation acknowledged that they were aware of artificial wetlands and their use for wastewater treatment. It was also pointed out that these systems are very sensitive to chemical and radioactive waste. They require dedicated care and constant attention.

It was also explained that artificial wetlands require wastewater system users who are well-versed in taking care of the environment. People would require special awareness programmes before a plant starts operations.

Other problems in the plan proposed by Janse van Rensburg and a team of engineering, architecture, management, local government and planning specialists, included stakeholder participation and buy-in from government, local residents, trade unions and the private sector. From the ministry’s side Mohlobo said the DWS simply did not have funding that was readily available.

Also the country’s economy at the start of 2022 was not in a good space to secure sufficient outside funding. Janse van Rensburg’s plans appear to be comprehensive. He has been working on a vast scale. However, his planning comes across as dedicated and potentially well-outlined.

Apart from local and national government integration, he has provided for integrating the Emfuleni wastewater plan with that of Midvaal and Lesedi – all situated in the Sedibeng District of Gauteng.

As a non-profit organisation the Emfuleni-focused wastewater project appears to be a fresh and well-informed breeze over the complex problem of securing resilience in the maintenance and development of local wastewater infrastructure systems.

From an environmental perspective the proposal has merit. It also resonates correspond with DWS strategies for adaptation to climate change in southern Africa. The proposal can bring relief for the growing need to effectively reuse of wastewater. Moreover, until Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) starts supplying water to Gauteng – hopefully in 2027 – we will have to do water demand management and keep an eye on the effective control of municipal potable supplies for well-over an estimated 900 000 local residents in Emfuleni.

*The author is an extraordinary professor in the Faculty of Humanities at North-West University’s Vanderbijlpark Campus.