Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Jeanne Adriaanse MP
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Matlosana is outraged that the municipality has allowed a full-blown sewage crisis to spiral out of control. Since July 2023, the main wastewater treatment plant has been out of service, resulting in the daily loss of 69 megalitres of treatment capacity. This catastrophic failure means raw, untreated sewage is being discharged directly into rivers, poisoning communities and destroying livelihoods.
The DA has repeatedly raised the alarm. We engaged with key stakeholders, including the Mayor of Matlosana. Promises of turnaround strategies and timelines were made, but nothing has materialised. During a recent DA parliamentary oversight visit to the Klerksdorp wastewater treatment plant, it was evident that the crisis is worsening, with no credible recovery plan in sight.
Due to the collapse of the Klerksdorp treatment plant, sewage from Klerksdorp and Jouberton is discharged untreated through the Schoonspruit into the Vaal River. Across Hartbeesfontein, Klerksdorp, Stilfontein, and Orkney, residents live amidst burst pipes, failing pump stations, and rivers of sewage running through neighbourhoods. Businesses and farms are also being devastated by widespread contamination.
This is not merely a technical collapse; it is a collapse of governance. Warning after warning has been ignored, reports have been shelved, and infrastructure has been left to rot. Today, raw human waste is choking rivers, contaminating groundwater, and threatening the health of thousands.
The Schoonspruit feeds into the Vaal River, a vital lifeline for households, agriculture, and ecosystems across the province. The consequences are already devastating:
- Health risks: children are exposed to E. coli and waterborne diseases.
- Environmental vandalism: fish and aquatic life are dying in polluted waters.
- Economic decline: farmers and businesses face mounting costs as water supplies are compromised.
It is clear that the ANC has neither the capacity nor the political will to resolve this disaster. Their inaction is a crime against the people and the environment.
The DA will continue to apply pressure at every level of government until this crisis is resolved. Matlosana residents deserve dignity, clean water, working infrastructure, and an economy that thrives, not one destroyed by ANC neglect.
Matlosana deserves better. The ANC has failed.