Congratulations on your appointment as Minister of Water and Sanitation.

Please give special attention to the Upper Vaal River System as this is being destroyed by pollution from dysfunctional waste water reticulation systems managed by virtually insolvent local councils.

Please ensure that there is an in-depth report given to you on the status of the waste water system of the Emfuleni Local Council and come and see for yourself. At present sewage is flowing in the streets of Emfuleni as a result of the degradation of the whole reticulation system. There's simply no money to fix the problem.

DWS has been promising new infrastructure with the announcement of the Sedibeng Regional Sewage System (SRSS) This was started in 2008, re announced in 2015. This project which aims to expand infrastructure for new property developmtns, including thousands of much needed low cost houses. Yet, the housing development is proceeding but the SRSS has not got off the drawing board. Design work has cost millions to date.

Your urgent attention is required to this situation which is resulting in an environmental disaster in the Vaal River between the Vaal Dam, Vereeniging, Vanderbijl Park and Parys, let alone the adverse impacting on tourism (for which there is a wealth of opportunity), job creation and economic development in the Sedibeng district. Instead tourism properties just want to get out. Who wants to attend a conference or have an event surrounded by smelly sewage? The situation has its worst effect on the poorest of the poor where the health risk is huge. It is surprising that there as not already been a cholera outbreak. The Listeria virus could well be traced to irrigation from the Vaal River if an in-depth study were to be made.

Emfuleni Local Council already has several high court orders against it to stop polluting the Vaal River and its tributaries. DWS is the custodian of our precious raw water resources yet the Department is doing nothing to try and resolve this ongoing crisis.

Please give urgent attention to the Vaal River. Pay a visit to the area and see for yourself.
Your response would be appreciated.