CHAIRMAN’ S STATEMENT 2024
Welcome
Overview:
Two serious issues have dominated the financial year:
In the first half, SAVE took a quantum leap forward with a court order against the three
levels of Government, including the Ministers of Water and Sanitation and Environment,
Forestry & Fisheries. In the second half, water lettuce and hyacinth caused a crisis in the
Vaal River.
The court order required the DWS Minister to provide an action plan to stop sewage
pollution of the Vaal River from the Emfuleni waste water system. It also required that the
Water and Sanitation Minister include timing of the refurbishment and funding. SAVE
received a ‘master plan’ without the required information on funding and timing. The
Minister has also not adhered to clauses concerning communication with SAVE by way of
quarterly meetings. Our legal team advised the State Attorney of our dissatisfaction. The
response received from the State Attorney was unsatisfactory too and litigation is proceeding.
A copy of the court order can be provided, if required.
The water lettuce crisis (a problem directly caused by the high levels of sewage in the river)
shocked the Vaal community. A number of individuals sprang into action to deal with the
carpets of water lettuce that covered most of the Vaal Barrage Reservoir, providing funding
and physically removing the weeds. The costs of this exercise including eventually spraying
the weeds from a drone, were all covered by private funding. SAVE thanks all those
individuals involved in this great effort.
We have won this battle, but there are more battles ahead because millions of seeds have
already been deposited into the river. It is expected that hyacinth will be the greater problem
and we look forward to the implementation of the biological solution planned by Rand Water
and also thank property owners and others who are breeding the weevils and hoppers.
Water Quality
These noxious weeds are a symptom of the real problem that is excessive amounts of sewage
flowing into the Vaal Barrage Reservoir from non-compliant municipal waste water systems.
This is being addressed in our court proceedings against Emfuleni Municipality, the Gauteng
Province authorities and the Department of Water and Sanitation. And the responsible
national ministers.
There is no question that the Emfuleni Municipality is our biggest problem in the Vaal
Barrage Reservoir because of the proximity of the municipality’s three waste water treatment
system to the Vaal Barrage Reservoir.
The DWS has identified many other municipal polluters impacting the Vaal River system and
SAVE welcomes the Department’s ’intent t of adopting a hard line against polluters. The
DWS estimates that 15% of the pollution can be ascribed to Emfuleni in terms of volumes.
However, there is a far bigger impact due to the proximity of the \emfuleni system to the river
where dysfunctional plants, burst pipes and failing pump stations deposit undiluted waste
water into the river whereas there is a big dilution factor in terms of systems much further up
or downstream.
Despite work being undertaken to refurbish the Emfuleni system, we have seen no
improvement in water quality after three years. This is confirmed in water quality analysis
reports. There is no end in sight to this project.
The worst area is the Rietspruit because of the discharges from the Rietspruit and Sebokeng
plants. Complaints to the DWS Chief Director of Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement
have not provided no feedback snice the officials visited the site on 23rdMAY. This is being
followed up with the Chief Director.
Vaal Dam Update
There is considerable concern that a new plant is operational at Reengkotso but to our
knowledge, does not have a water use license and nor does it have proper disposal of effluent,
with supposedly compliant waste water flowing into the veld.
Again, communication with the Metsimaholo Municipality has been disrupted by ongoing
political changes.
Ministerial Task Team
SAVE was invited to join a ministerial task team formed toto discuss the way forward with the
management of the Emfuleni Water Department. It’s no secret that this task team was formed to
provide a proposal on the establishment of special service vehicle to manage the system. Consensus
was reached and a plan put forward to the Minister of Water and Sanitation for approval. SAVE’s
representatives on this team were M. Plant and M. Gaade. Save is fully supportive of this initiative.
Committee
A warm welcome to Nico Siebrits, Brandon Stuart, Shaun Faccio and Bee Hurlingham who
have joined the committee. They will bring new energy and fresh thinking to our committee.
I would like to thank the committee members, Maureen Stewart, Mike Gaade, Cindy Niblet,
Desi and Johan du Toit, Kathy Manten of Vaal Dam for their ongoing support.
Chris Williams has resigned from the committee and we thank him for his ongoing interest in
our activities.
Special thanks to our patron, the Hon. Judge Lotter Wepener whose wisdom and interest in
our activities has been invaluable
Finances And Fundraising
Total funding amounts to R 5 851 538million as at the end of March 2024. Which is
made up as follows LEGAL and general Account R 1 42246 and the water lettuce
account R4 296 076. Expenditure amounted to R 743 821 of which R 500 000 was for
the water lettuce R 200000 on legal fees and the balance general expenses.
A full set of audited financials is available on request.
A sincere ‘thank you’ to our regular supporters that include Bishops Bay, Shores of
Loch Vaal, Milos and Luciana Country Estate. We also appreciate the support of
Rotary Riverside that has partnered with SAVE
We had no fund raising events in 2023
