The Transvaal Agricultural Union (TLU) and the department of water and sanitation have commended the Balfour Magistrate’s Court for imposing a R160 million fine on the Dipaleseng Municipality in Mpumalanga. The fine comes in response to the municipality’s violation of environmental laws, caused by pollution from a waste treatment plant that is not working.
The deputy minister of the department of water and sanitation, Sello Seitlholo, said the judgment was needed to warn the municipality of the dangers it poses to the livelihoods of the communities and farmers’ livestock.
The investigations by the department of water and sanitation alongside the department of agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs, uncovered gross misconduct by the municipality which led to the matter being taken to the courts.
Victory for the environment
The court found that between December 2018 and August 2023, the municipality committed environmental misconduct which caused significant pollution.
This included disposing and distributing raw blood sewage sludge, and affluent raw and untreated sewer with high amounts of faecal coliform and E.coli into various water sources and communities.
“This court ruling is a significant milestone in our efforts to hold polluters accountable. The R160 million fine should serve as a wake-up call to other municipalities that fail to comply with environmental and water management regulations. I assure you that we will not hesitate to take firm action against any entity that disregards its legal obligations,” he said.
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Meanwhile, Ronnie Schilling, eastern region manager of TLU said while this may seem like a victory for environmental justice on paper, the actual culprits remain untouched, facing no consequences.
“It is time for us to take collective responsibility to protect our environment. We cannot afford poor management and a lack of accountability to persist while our resources, the foundation of our future, are being destroyed.
“This kind of mismanagement not only destroys our natural resources but also the lives of ordinary people who depend on these resources,” he said.
Schilling said TLU SA believes that such violations must be addressed decisively, “We call for mechanisms to be established to hold the culprits directly accountable whether they are individuals within the municipality or contractors involved in this negligence.
“Fines paid using public funds do not punish those truly responsible. The extent of the damage caused by the municipality’s negligence is shocking. Polluted rivers, poisoned soil, and livestock losses have heavily impacted local communities,” he said.
In a different setting, the deputy minister of water and sanitation, David Mahlobo, further called for the investment of sanitation infrastructure and technological improvements to address sanitation challenges.
“We need significant investments in modern sanitation infrastructure and creative, forward-thinking solutions. Together, we can drive the change required to overcome the challenges in the sanitation sector,” he said.
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Tiisetso Manoko
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