Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, Sello Seitlholo, has welcomed the Balfour Magistrate’s Court decision to impose a R160 million fine on Dipaleseng Local Municipality in Mpumalanga for contravening environmental laws, and significantly impacting the livelihoods of residents and livestock.
The court handed down the judgment on Friday, 15 November.
The local municipality was found guilty of contravening the National Environmental Act (NEMA) 107 of 1998; the pollution of water resources; the contravention of the National Water Act 36 of 1998; failure to comply with remedial directives, and unauthorised disposal of water.
The court found that between December 2018 to August 2023, the municipality committed environmental misconduct, which caused significant pollution to the environment.
This included disposing and distributing raw blood sewage sludge, and the affluent of raw and untreated sewage, with high amounts of faecal coliform and E.coli, into various water sources and communities, which included the Suikerbostant River, Gasteplaas
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