Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality Executive Mayor Princess Faku addresses the issue of water in the Metro.
This important issue has understandably raised concern among our residents regarding the state of some of our wastewater treatment infrastructure and its potential impact on our water resources.
Let me begin by acknowledging the reality.
Our municipality, like many across the country, has experienced serious challenges at certain wastewater treatment plants, largely driven by vandalism, cable theft, and deliberate destruction of critical infrastructure. In some cases, this vandalism has been so severe that treatment processes have been disrupted or temporarily rendered non-functional. This is unacceptable, and we do not shy away from stating it openly.
However, I also want to be absolutely clear and factual with residents, these challenges do not mean that sewage is contaminating our drinking water. Our drinking water and wastewater systems are separate, and our municipality operates a robust and continuously monitored water-quality regime at all our water treatment plants.
Raw water entering our water treatment works is routinely tested, and where wastewater plants are identified as higher risk due to vandalism or operational challenges, monitoring is intensified, not reduced. If any serious contamination were present in the raw water sources feeding our drinking water plants, it would be detected immediately through this monitoring regime. That has not been the case, and our drinking water continues to comply with national standards.
There have been specific references in the media to two wastewater treatment plants, namely Zwelitsha Wastewater Treatment Works and Schornville Wastewater Treatment Works, and I want to address these directly and transparently.
Zwelitsha Wastewater Treatment Works is currently undergoing a structured upgrade programme.
Significant work has already been completed, and the remaining scope is at an advanced stage of procurement.
These upgrades are planned to be fully completed by December 2026, after which the plant will operate at improved capacity and compliance.
Schornville Wastewater Treatment Works has unfortunately been severely vandalised.
In response, the municipality has taken a strategic decision to divert flows from Schornville to Zwelitsha.
The tender for this diversion is currently in procurement, and once a contractor is appointed, construction is expected to take approximately twelve months. This is a sustainable and technically sound solution to protect the environment and public health.
Beyond these two plants, I want to emphasise that the municipality has not been idle.
We have developed and are implementing a three-year Wastewater Infrastructure Improvement Plan, which is now in its second year of execution. This plan focuses on refurbishing existing wastewater treatment works and pump stations, restoring functionality, and most importantly, strengthening security to protect critical infrastructure.
As part of this programme, we are investing approximately R500 million in infrastructure refurbishment and security enhancements.
These include improved access control, surveillance technologies, physical hardening of sites, and coordinated responses with law enforcement agencies.
All vandalised wastewater treatment plants and critical pump stations are scheduled to be secured and refurbished within the next two to three years.
I want residents to understand this clearly: we recognise the challenges, we have a funded plan, and we are implementing it.
Infrastructure recovery takes time, but it is being done methodically, transparently, and with public health as the primary priority.
In closing, I want to reassure every resident, while wastewater infrastructure challenges exist and are being addressed decisively, there should be no fear of direct sewage contamination of our drinking water sources. Our monitoring systems, operational controls, and regulatory oversight remain firmly in place.
We will continue to communicate openly, act decisively against vandalism, invest in infrastructure recovery, and protect the health and dignity of our communities.
Our residents deserve honesty, progress, and confidence, and that is exactly what we are committed to delivering.