Urgent repairs delayed as plant remains powerless and polluted
The Klerksdorp sewage treatment plant has been out of operation since March 2023 and is discharging largely untreated sewage into the Skoonspruit, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) said after an oversight visit to the site. Burnt transformers, stolen cables and bullet holes were recorded on the visit, which the department said has left the works without electricity and vulnerable to further vandalism.
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Jack Bloom described the situation bluntly after inspecting the facility:
“sewage in and sewage out.”
Bloom said stolen cables and a burnt transformer — theft allegedly linked to illegal gold-mining activity in the area — have left the plant unable to run treatment processes. He observed that sewage is being manually screened for large objects only, and that what leaves the works flows into the Skoonspruit and then the Vaal River.
The DWS has previously issued a directive to the Matlosana Local Municipality, which is responsible for the plant, and the Vaal-Orange Catchment Management Agency (VOCMA) laid criminal charges for pollution in February 2026 after follow-up compliance actions did not halt the environmental harm.
Security, electricity and funding are immediate priorities
Bloom said the immediate steps are to restore electricity so some treatment can resume and to strengthen security at the site to prevent further cable theft and vandalism. He reported seeing bullet holes from an earlier raid and said armed guards are now patrolling the plant in an armoured vehicle.
- Restore electricity to resume treatment operations
- Upgrade security to prevent further vandalism and theft
- Complete feasibility and design studies so funding can be accessed
In 2023 the cost of refurbishing the plant was estimated at R400 million, a figure Bloom said could rise following a new assessment. Planning deliverables — including a feasibility study, preliminary design and an implementation readiness study — were submitted to the DWS North West provincial office, and the deputy minister said he will assess technical and financial viability before applying for funds from the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG).
However, Bloom warned that physical rehabilitation work is unlikely to start before July 2027, when the next council budget could provide for the project. He said the delay was partly due to documentation to access funding not being prepared timeously.
Local consequences and context
The plant’s failure has immediate environmental and public health implications for Klerksdorp and downstream communities. The Skoonspruit flows into the Vaal River, a major watercourse for the region, so continued discharge of untreated or poorly treated sewage raises concerns about water quality, aquatic life and downstream water users.
Bloom’s assessment highlights wider governance and security problems that affect municipal infrastructure: theft of electrical infrastructure, criminal activity around resource extraction, and the strain on municipal capacity to prepare funding applications and maintain key services.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| DWS directive to Matlosana Municipality | September 2021 |
| Plant offline | Since March 2023 |
| VOCMA criminal charges for pollution | February 2026 |
| Possible start of physical repairs (subject to budget) | July 2027 |
Residents and local environmental groups are likely to press for faster action as the DWS and Matlosana Council move through technical and funding assessments. Bloom said he will monitor progress closely to try to speed up the process, but his timeline makes clear that significant on-the-ground repairs are still some months away.
The combination of vandalism, alleged illegal-mining activity and administrative delay has turned the Klerksdorp sewage works into a prolonged public-works crisis, with consequences for water quality, public health and the municipality’s ability to meet its obligations under environmental and water legislation.
