Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Ronellé Gous
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has formally written to the Municipal Manager of Madibeng Local Municipality, Mr Quiet Kgatla, following repeated oversight visits which exposed the collapse and non-functionality of the Brits Sewage Treatment Plant and the growing pollution of the Crocodile River with raw sewage (see photos here, here, here, and here).
The reality on the ground is stark. Residents are increasingly frustrated by the lack of basic services such as water, sanitation and electricity, while entire communities are forced to live with health hazards caused by failing municipal infrastructure.
DA representatives have conducted several oversight visits to the sewage plant over the past 12 months, including a most recent inspection on 16 January 2026 (see video here). The deterioration and near-total non-functionality of the plant is alarming. Broken pump stations and neglected infrastructure have resulted in raw sewage being diverted into stormwater systems that flow directly into the Crocodile River.
This daily pollution threatens public health, contaminates irrigation water, endangers livestock, and places one of the North West’s most important waterways at risk. Farmers downstream have already reported crop losses and fear further contamination of irrigation and livestock water sources.
In November 2025, the DA launched a petition regarding raw sewage spillages into the Crocodile River and obtained video evidence confirming the scale of pollution. Communities and farmers alike have had enough of empty promises while sewage continues to flow into the river.
This crisis reflects a broader service delivery collapse in Madibeng, where roads remain unpaved, streets are littered in some wards, and communities continue to suffer without reliable water, sanitation, and electricity.
Water and sanitation are not luxuries. They are constitutional rights. Residents deserve clean water, safe environments, and a municipality that acts with urgency instead of excuses.
In its formal correspondence, the DA has called for decisive intervention and will escalate the matter to Parliament, including the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, to demand answers on:
- Why raw sewage continues to be discharged into the Crocodile River despite repeated complaints and clear health and environmental risks;
- The collapse of Madibeng’s sewage infrastructure and failure to comply with national environmental and water management standards;
- The impact of pollution on farmers, irrigation systems and livestock water sources;
- The municipality’s lack of transparent communication on efforts to resolve the crisis.
The Crocodile River is a vital resource for people, agriculture and the environment. It cannot be sacrificed to mismanagement and neglect.
The DA will not stop until Madibeng residents see real, measurable improvements. The time for promises has passed. The time for accountability and action is now.