Latest news with #SelloSeitlholo
IOL News
2 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Mpophomeni Wastewater Treatment Works to enhance water and sanitation security in KZN Midlands
The Mpophomeni Wastewater Treatment Plant was commissioned on Friday. Image: Sello Seitlholo, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation / Facebook The government has taken another step towards addressing issues of water and sanitation security in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands with the commissioning of the Mpophomeni Wastewater Treatment Works, a project valued at R450 million. The project is a key part of the government's efforts to ensure water and sanitation security in the uMgungundlovu District. The department stated that the treatment works complement the Vulindlela Bulk Water Supply Scheme. The Vulindlela Bulk Water Supply Scheme is currently undergoing major upgrades to allow it to supply water to hundreds of thousands of residents in the Vulindlela area under the Msunduzi Municipality, who have not had tap water for more than five years. In July 2023, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DSW) held a sod-turning ceremony to mark the start of upgrades for Phase 1 of the Vulindlela Bulk Water Supply Scheme, a mega water supply project. It was stated at the time that the project, upon completion, will provide safe drinking water to communities in the uMngeni and Msunduzi Local Municipalities and surrounding areas in the district. The Mpophomeni wastewater project was launched this past Friday and is expected to address the sanitation and water challenges of 27,000 people in and around the Mpophomeni area. Residents in upper Vulindlela have highlighted their concerns regarding the need for water security, pointing out that for the past few years, they have had to rely on erratic supply from water tankers or fetch water from a borehole that belongs to a local doctor's office. They revealed that the municipality recently drilled a borehole, which malfunctioned, and residents were asked to pay towards its repairs. During Friday's launch, Deputy Ministers Sello Seitlholo and David Mahlobo provided a progress update on Phase 1 of the Vulindlela Bulk Water Supply Scheme. The Vulindlela Bulk Water Supply Scheme, one of the government's most successful post-1994 infrastructure projects, is located west of Pietermaritzburg. Initially constructed in 1998 and later designated a National Presidential Lead Project, the scheme is being upgraded in response to population growth in Vulindlela and increased municipal water demand. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The Mpophomeni Wastewater Treatment Works is intended to serve the communities of Mpophomeni, Khayelisha, and surrounding areas, benefiting approximately 27,000 residents. Image: Sello Seitlholo, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation / Facebook A major component of the Phase 1 upgrade is the construction of a new reservoir that will increase drinking water storage by 20 megalitres per day, bringing the total to 35 megalitres per day to ensure more consistent water distribution to communities across the region. Additional infrastructure includes new pipelines between reservoirs, a new pump station, and an augmented power supply. This project complements the commissioned Mpophomeni Wastewater Treatment Works. Together, these two strategic infrastructure projects form part of the department's integrated efforts to ensure long-term water and sanitation security for communities in the uMgungundlovu District. Speaking at the launch, Mahlobo stated that the project's commissioning 'marks a major step forward for service delivery, water security, and cooperative governance in KwaZulu-Natal.' The Mpophomeni infrastructure project is designed to significantly improve sanitation services, protect sensitive wetland ecosystems, and enhance the quality of life for communities. It is currently operating at a treatment capacity of 6 million litres per day, with provision for future expansion to 12 million litres per day. The facility includes a 7-kilometre treated effluent pipeline and the rehabilitation of the Mpophomeni wetland. Seitlholo welcomed the commissioning while issuing a firm call to action to municipalities. 'The success of Mpophomeni proves that service delivery is possible when all spheres of government work together. But we cannot stop here. Municipalities must build on this momentum and address governance gaps, strengthening technical capacity and accelerating delivery. Our citizens deserve systems that work and leaders who make that happen without delay,' said Seitlholo. THE MERCURY
IOL News
14-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
Winterveld residents urged to stop dumping waste in the Tolwane River
Department of Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo leads a river clean-up programme at the Tolwane River in Winterveld, as part of the month-long Clear Rivers Campaign by the department. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers Residents of Winterveld are being urged to stop dumping solid waste, including diapers, old blankets, plastics, and shrubs, into the Tolwane River, which runs through the township, to prevent water pollution. The call was made by Department of Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo during a clean-up campaign themed 'South Africa is a water-scarce country – clean up and protect our water resources' held on Monday. The initiative is part of the department's annual month-long Clear Rivers Campaign, held in July, which coincides with Mandela Month celebrations. The event was conducted in partnership with stakeholders and community members, raising awareness about the importance of protecting water resources for a sustainable future and environmental preservation. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Seitlholo highlighted that Gauteng's water is severely polluted, largely due to untreated or partially treated sewage flowing from water treatment facilities into rivers, tributaries, and ultimately dams. He said mining industries, particularly through acid mine drainage, as well as agricultural runoff and industrial activities, are significant contributors to the pollution. 'It has become the responsibility of the Department of Water and Sanitation to come and communicate and place awareness on the crisis that we are facing and that is the pollution crisis,' he said. He mentioned that Gauteng's municipalities are responsible for discharging approximately 1.5 million litres of sewage daily into water resources, resulting in severe pollution. Seitlholo cited Vaal River, which is heavily infested with water hyacinth, as an example of water resources affected by pollution. 'We are finding a situation where the Vaalkop Dam in the North West, as well as the Boschkop Dam, have got 95% and 100% coverage of alien invasive species, water salvinia, and water hyacinth, respectively. These alien invasive species take up a lot of our water,' he said. He said the dire state of water resources is a major crisis in the country that is being overlooked. He noted that while people protest when water is not coming out of their taps, they rarely do so when sewage contaminates rivers and dams. 'Everybody is so fixated on the water from the taps, forgetting that there is the beginning of the value chain, and if we don't take care of the beginning of the value chain, then we are placing the security of the final product of the value chain at risk,' he said. Ward 19 Councillor Maqaleni Mazibuko expressed gratitude towards the department for identifying the area for the clean-up campaign. He said the event provides an opportunity for locals to understand the importance of water circulation and learn about the entire value chain that delivers water to their taps. He said many people will benefit most from the campaign because it highlighted the importance of taking care of water. Concern was raised about people consuming water directly from the river due to shortages, posing potential health risks. Mazibuko said: 'That thing is very problematic because at some point, our City of Tshwane fails to fix sewers in time, and some of the raw sewage is flowing directly into the river. I think from today, we are going to get a solution as to how we ensure that our water remains purified.'
The South African
01-07-2025
- General
- The South African
Action taken against invasive hyacinth at Vaalkop Dam
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Sello Seitlholo, has committed to take decisive and sustained action to address the growing infestation of invasive alien vegetation at Vaalkop Dam in Rustenburg in the North West province. During a two-day oversight working visit from 27 to 28 June 2025, Seitlholo announced the establishment of a multi-stakeholder working group and committed to personally overseeing the complete removal of the infestation from the dam. 'I am taking personal responsibility to ensure that the infestation at Vaalkop Dam is eradicated,' Seitlholo said. The infestation, primarily caused by water hyacinth and Salvinia minima, has severely impacted the operations of the Vaalkop Water Treatment Works, posing serious threat to water abstraction, treatment capacity, and regional water supply. The Deputy Minister attributed the explosion of invasive weeds to a combination of factors, including heavy rainfall, which carried high concentrations of nutrients from upstream sources into the dam. These include discharges from wastewater treatment plants, agricultural runoff, urban drainage, and pollution from informal settlements and mining activities. 'Nutrients from bottom sediment recirculation have also added to the dam's ecological load. The combination of historically low water levels, the presence of invasive seeds, and nutrient flooding created ideal conditions for the aggressive spread of the aquatic weeds. The Deputy Minister also announced his intention to formally propose that water pollution be declared a national crisis, warning that South Africa can no longer afford to treat pollution as a localised or isolated problem. 'We cannot allow pollution and negligence to cripple our water systems any further. I will also be proposing that water pollution be declared a national crisis. It is time we recognise that this threat affects the health, economy, and future of our nation,' Seitlholo said. Declaring a national crisis, he said, is necessary to unlock the urgency, coordination, and resources required to protect South Africa's already stressed water systems. The Deputy Minister also issued a stern warning to municipalities that fail to meet their wastewater management responsibilities. 'Let me be very clear, municipalities that continue to pollute our rivers and dams with untreated waste are directly contributing to the destruction of our water resources. This negligence will not be tolerated,' Seitlholo warned. He announced that the department will intensify compliance monitoring, and where wrongdoing is found, 'there will be serious consequences.' The Deputy Minister's planned working group will bring together representatives from the Department of Water and Sanitation, Magalies Water, affected municipalities, environmental scientists, and other critical partners. 'The group will assess the scale of the infestation, recommend both immediate and long-term interventions, and oversee the implementation of recovery plans for the dam and surrounding systems,' Seitlholo said. He emphasised that this initiative is part of a broader departmental effort to strengthening environmental enforcement, restoring infrastructure resilience, and addressing the growing national threat posed by pollution and invasive species. Since assuming office nearly a year ago, Seitlholo has led numerous oversight inspections across the country, confronting issues of water pollution and infrastructure failure head-on. He has consistently called for accountability and improved service delivery. The Deputy Minister is expected to soon announce a set of coordinated and strategic national interventions to tackle the pollution of South Africa's water sources and restore the health of critical water ecosystems. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
eNCA
12-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Orange Senqu river commission seeks to raise awareness to tackle climate change
Conceptual illustration of droughts and desertification in Africa. POTCHEFSTROOM - Deputy Minister of water and sanitation, Sello Seitlholo has led a delegation to the ORASECOM Climate Resilient Investment Conference in Lesotho. WATCH | Climate change | KZN plans to streamline disaster response This comes amid a water crisis in various parts of the country largely due to failing infrastructure, pollution and increasing demand. The conference aims to raise awareness and attract investment by promoting sustainable development and water security in the Orange-Senqu River Basin.
Zawya
09-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo calls for bold investment to Secure Southern Africa's Water Future
The Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mr. Sello Seitlholo, has called for intensified investment in the water sector to secure Southern Africa's future in the face of climate change and growing water demands. Speaking at the ORASECOM Climate Resilient Investment Conference in Maseru, Lesotho on Thursday, 08 May 2025, Deputy Minister Seitlholo highlighted that resilient water infrastructure and cross-border collaboration are critical to the region's economic development, environmental sustainability, and long-term water security. As a proud and committed member of the Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM), South Africa continues to champion regional cooperation for the sustainable and equitable management of shared water resources. Deputy Minister Seitlholo reaffirmed the country's support for the Commission, noting South Africa's role as host country and consistent contributor to its operations and basin-wide studies. 'Water is the foundation upon which our economies, communities, and ecosystems rest. In Southern Africa, it also binds us together across borders. Our shared future demands that we invest boldly and wisely in securing this most precious resource,' he said. South Africa is undertaking major reforms to create an enabling environment for water investment. Deputy Minister Seitlholo said that these include legislative amendments to strengthen water governance, reduce inefficiencies, and attract private-sector involvement through improved regulatory certainty and streamlined project processes. He pointed to multiple opportunities for investors, ranging from bulk infrastructure and wastewater treatment to innovative technologies in reuse and smart metering. Public-private partnerships are being pursued with urgency, including through the Water Partnership Office in collaboration with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). 'Investing in water is not just a necessity; it is a generational imperative. Our policy reforms, institutional innovation, and partnerships demonstrate that we are ready to work with all stakeholders to make water investment a success story,' he emphasised. The Deputy Minister highlighted sustainability, technological advancement, and climate adaptation as key pillars of the country's water strategy. He emphasised the need for robust risk management to address droughts, floods, and pollution, backed by government funding instruments such as the Water Services Infrastructure Grant and the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant made available by the Department of Water and Sanitation. Deputy Minister Seitlholo stressed that communities must be at the heart of water solutions. South Africa's water governance model prioritises public participation and inclusive development, particularly through forums supporting youth, women, and civil society engagement. Partnerships with NGOs, research institutions, and the private sector continue to drive innovation and ensure evidence-based planning. In closing, Deputy Minister Seitlholo reaffirmed South Africa's unwavering commitment to regional leadership and global engagement in the water sector. He announced that South Africa will proudly host the Africa Water Investment Summit in August, a strategic platform aimed at unlocking large-scale investment and galvanising multi-sector partnerships for water infrastructure development across the continent. Furthermore, as South Africa has assumed the G20 Presidency, the Deputy Minister committed that water financing will be elevated as a key agenda item, positioning water not merely as a development issue but as a central pillar of economic resilience, climate adaptation, and sustainable growth. 'South Africa stands ready to lead by example, mobilising political will, catalysing investment, and fostering cross-border cooperation to build a water-secure future for Africa and beyond,' he affirmed. 'Let us seize this moment to mobilise the partnerships, political will, and financing needed to ensure a climate-resilient and water-secure future for our region. What we decide today must shape a legacy of inclusive growth and sustainable prosperity for generations to come,' concluded Deputy Minister Seitlholo. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Water and Sanitation, Republic of South Africa.
