Severe sewage infrastructure failures in Lesedi Local Municipality (LLM) have reached a critical point, with major leaks affecting the municipality.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Lesedi has made it clear that these are not minor issues but catastrophic failures, creating what resembles a “sewage river” flowing into the Blesbokspruit at three different points within the municipal boundaries.
The crisis involves multiple major sewage leaks that have persisted for over two years. Environmental testing has revealed elevated E. coli levels in groundwater, raising serious concerns about public health and environmental contamination.
This demands immediate intervention. The severity and scope of these leaks pose significant risks to both our residents’ health and local businesses.
Therefore, under the National Environmental Management Act no 107 of 1998, we will be reporting this gross miscarriage of environmental justice to the Green Scorpions, for urgent investigation, and recommendations. We demand that local, provincial and national government work together to tackle this health crisis, before the residents of Lesedi suffer more.
The situation parallels recent legal action against neighbouring Dipaleseng Local Municipality, which was fined R160 million by the Balfour Magistrate’s Court for similar environmental violations. That ruling included a R40 million suspended fine contingent on regulatory compliance over five years.
Alongside this report, the DA is exploring all avenues available to us to ensure that those responsible are held to account.