South Africa's River Pollution Crisis

weissangie121
Mar 15
5 min read

Two pipes discharge dirty water into a river. Brown, muddy banks surround the area. Bold text reads "We have to drink that!" — Pollution of our drinking water sources is reaching crisis proportions

With 14 March being the International Day of Action for Rivers, I thought I would look into the state of rivers in South Africa. What I found is beyond scary. In fact, it makes me wonder how we are all still alive. Across the screen online, there are so many reports that paint a very bleak picture, so here is what I found about the state of our water affairs.

On Sunday, 2 March 2025, the water and sanitation minister, Pemmy Majodina, launched the National Water Month at Eikenhof pump station in Johannesburg. She assured residents that there is sufficient water in Gauteng and that the dams are filled to almost capacity. That sounds great, but is the water flowing through our taps suitable for human consumption? The minister showed no evidence or sense of urgency about the brewing water crisis.

But if one peeks at the newspaper reports from around the county, it is evident that raw sewage flows into our bodies of water at an ever-increasing rate. These are the same freshwater reservoirs from which our drinking water comes. Along the south coast from Cape Town to Durban and everywhere in between, we can find reports of raw sewage spilling directly into bodies of water.

South Africa seems to be facing a looming environmental and public health catastrophe. With over half of the nation’s wastewater treatment plants failing to meet basic operational standards, authorities’ inaction is a glaring oversight in the face of growing concerns and mounting evidence.

Lambert de Klerk, manager for environmental affairs at AfriForum, told the Citizen reporter that “where only eight cases in 2023 indicated unsafe drinking water, and these results were limited to Mpumalanga, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal, in 2024 unsafe municipal drinking water occurs in 28 towns, spread over each of the nine provinces.”

Rivers Turned into Sewage Streams

Reports reveal that untreated sewage flows freely into South Africa's rivers, turning them into "rivers of sewage." In Gqeberha, residents living along the Baakens River have again voiced serious concerns over the contamination of the stream, which flows through several neighbourhoods. This contamination is not just an ecological tragedy but a direct threat to human health.

Dr Anthony Turton put it very bluntly in an interview with Business Tech, “The simple truth is that our country’s wastewater treatment works are slowly rendering the country’s drinking water unusable. Without sounding dramatic, South Africa is slowly committing ecocide – national suicide by poisoning its own drinking and crop production water.”

Baakens River with visible pollution flows through lush green surroundings. Text overlay reads, "Baakens River is polluted again." — Time and time again, the Baakens River is a victim of pollution

The Health Toll of River Pollution

The most recent alarming incident took place at Cape Town's Saunder’s Rocks Beach. A young woman had a near-death experience because of exposure to contaminated water. The victim reportedly came into contact with water teeming with contaminants and contracted septicaemia due to streptococcus and E-coli bacterial infection. The incident showcases that not only are our freshwater bodies being polluted, but the safety of our famous coastline cannot be guaranteed.

Aerial view of Cape Town coastline with mountains, coastal towns, and beaches. Text reads "Coastline off Cape Town." Sunny and clear skies. — It is no longer safe to swim at these beautiful places

eThekwini Ward 35 councillor Bradley Singh is struggling with the challenges of inferior infrastructure and inferior repairs to sewage systems being carried out in Umhlanga. Raw sewage flowing through a town's business district in a major province in South Africa should not happen. It is a definite sign of a significant breakdown in a system. Residents call for transparency on service providers in eThekwini Municipality after pump houses are not coping and sewage is allowed to flow into stormwater drains and onto the beaches near Homeford Drive.

So, what exactly does it mean for residents when we are told our water supply systems are in “poor and critical” condition? It means that the drinking water in these water supply systems is contaminated by sewage and bacteria. Viruses and parasites such as Legionella and Cyanobacteria may have grown in the piped water systems and/or water sources.

If ingested, these bacteria present acute health risks, such as gastrointestinal illnesses, with diarrhoea usually being the prime symptom. Other immediate waterborne illnesses can also occur, and these include cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, and typhoid. These diseases are serious and may lead to death, especially in individuals with impaired immune systems.

Map of South Africa with red markers showing wastewater treatment compliance as 'bad.' Legend indicates quality levels from excellent to poor. — This image appeared in an article by Daily Maverick

Citizen Voices and Government Inaction

Residents across the country are slowly starting to complain about water pollution and voice their frustrations. Communities in Gauteng, Cape Town, and beyond have raised alarms over sewage contamination infiltrating drinking water supplies. In the Ditsobotla Municipality, for instance, over 92% of wastewater treatment works are failing, leading to untreated sewage polluting local rivers and further impacting public health.

A News24 report cited local citizens saying that authorities appear indifferent to their cries for help. They turn a blind eye, and it seems like pumping untreated sewage directly into the ocean and rivers has become an acceptable practice. The scenario stresses the systemic lack of urgency in addressing this worsening crisis.

A Call for Accountability and Action Against River Pollution

The consequences of this apparent government negligence are dire. If the government fails to prioritise the health of its citizens and the environment, more lives will be affected, and South Africa will further lose its ecological balance.

Water is a fundamental human right, and the continued failure to secure its safety is a glaring injustice. Notably, a 2024 report highlighted that 13% of South Africa’s drinking water is unsafe for human consumption—a clear indicator of systemic failure at multiple levels.

Critics argue that piecemeal reassurances from officials, like those from Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, are insufficient. Mere promises do little to address the bacterial contamination that could leave thousands of people vulnerable to illness.

This crisis of river pollution is a stark reminder of the urgent need for an immediate overhaul of water management policies and infrastructure in South Africa. The government must not only adopt a zero-tolerance approach to neglect and mismanagement within wastewater treatment facilities but also ensure that accountability is more than just a buzzword. It must translate into decisive action to rehabilitate rivers, oceans, and water supplies and hold those responsible for the crisis accountable.

The time to act is now. South Africa cannot afford to continue on this dangerous trajectory. The nation's well-being depends on decisive leadership prioritising clean, safe, and sustainable water.

Person holding a sign reading "Stopping Pollution is the Best Solution." Green waste flows into a blue ocean with fish. Bright, abstract colors. — It is time for us to start civil action to protect our rivers

The Community Can Provide Solutions to the River Pollution Crisis

Despite significant challenges, the community of Alexandra must be commended for their proactive efforts to clean up river pollution and rehabilitate sections of the Jukskei River by removing litter and debris.

Their community-driven initiatives have improved water quality and raised residents' awareness of the severe consequences of water pollution.

Their success highlights the importance of collective action. We need more of such a societal approach to tackle water pollution in our rivers. It would be nice to see communities and stakeholders joining hands with the government and municipalities to fight the scourge of water pollution. As South Africa commemorates March's Water Month, we must try to protect our water sources. If you want to read more about the dire state of our water resources, use the links provided in the article.