ANC-run municipality fined R160 million for environmental offences, including discharging untreated sewage and polluted water into rivers

The Dipaleseng Local Municipality was fined R160 million for environmental offences, including the discharge of untreated sewage and polluted water into rivers.

However, despite the judgment being handed down on 15 November 2024, several requirements of the court order remain unfulfilled.

The Freedom Front Plus is now pressing for the enforcement of the court order against the municipality regarding service delivery.

The Dipaleseng Local Municipality is a local municipality within the Gert Sibande District Municipality in Mpumalanga. Balfour is the seat of the municipality.

Apart from Balfour, the municipality includes many small towns, including Greylingstad, Ekanini, Nthwane, and Siyathemba.

The municipality is traversed by major freight routes, including the N3 highway, which connects Johannesburg and Durban.

The regional economy relies on a combination of trade, agriculture, energy, and logistics, given its location relative to Gauteng.

It also benefits from electricity generation around the Grootvlei Power Station area, and commercial agriculture includes maize, cattle, and crop farming.

In the 2021 local government elections, the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of eight seats on the council.

Like many ANC-run municipalities, Dipaleseng faces significant operational and service delivery problems.

These problems include bulk water, sanitation, and electricity maintenance across Balfour, Siyathemba, and surrounding settlements.

Days-long water outages are frequent across Siyathemba, Balfour, and Greylingstad, stemming from ageing bulk-supply pipework, pump failures, and power-supply issues.

Local oversight and community protests frequently point to substandard drinking water quality and raw sewage spills in residential streets.

Court ruling against Dipaleseng Local Municipality

On 15 November 2024, the Balfour Magistrates’ Court found the Dipaleseng Local Municipality guilty of environmental offences.

These offences include the discharge of untreated sewage and polluted water into rivers, dams, and surrounding areas over the years.

The judgment included a R160 million fine on the Municipality, R40 million of which is suspended for five years.

It also instructed that the money should be used to repair and upgrade the sewage works in Balfour, Grootvlei and Greylingstad.

This was needed to improve the Siyathemba pump station and to bring the three towns’ landfill sites up to standard.

The funds were provided by the Department of Water and Sanitation, offering an opportunity to repair infrastructure, curb pollution and improve service delivery.

However, a progress report tabled at a council meeting on 28 October 2026 showed that several requirements of the court order remain unfulfilled.

Landfill sites still lack the required weighbridges, sewage effluent is not properly tested, and inspections are carried out by persons who lack the necessary training.

This failure delays the repair of critical infrastructure and puts the municipality at risk of forfeiting the suspended R40 million fine.

“This could ultimately be even more detrimental to residents already bearing the consequences of poor service delivery,” the Freedom Front Plus said.

The party is now pressing for the enforcement of the court order against the Dipaleseng Local Municipality regarding service delivery.

It has requested the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to enforce the court order in the municipality.

“If necessary, the NPA should consider taking legal steps to ensure that the relevant officials are held accountable for continued non-compliance,” it said.

“Residents should not have to bear the brunt of poor governance, inadequate service delivery and environmental decline.”