The Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) has ordered the Emfuleni Municipality to ensure its sewerage plants are operational and raw sewerage is not pumped into the Vaal River, Beeld reports. The Save the Vaal organisation brought the application following the municipality’s failure to comply with the National Water Act and Environmental Management Act. Measurements taken on 9 February show between 6 000 and 3 000 units of E.coli per 100ml water were pumped into the Vaal River on that day due to non-functioning municipal infrastructure. The court ordered the municipality to do the necessary repairs within a week or to supply Save the Vaal and the court with a thorough report on the problems. Municipal Manager Dithabe Nkoane was ordered to ensure compliance by all the municipality’s officials, employees and contractors. Other deadlines for maintenance and repairs are also listed in the court order, says the report. The municipality was ordered to pay the costs.

Source: Legalbrief